Sketching Out Our Love
by Peeta'sPearl18
Summary: Modern Day AU. Katniss moves to New York after the death of a close friend, expecting- and wanting- nothing out of life. But when she gets to the Big Apple, she realizes that staying far from love and its inevitable consequences is harder than she ever could have imagined.
1. Prologue: Katniss

**~Sketching Out Our Love~**

**~Prologue~**

_So, after writing a lot of Hunger Games FanFictions that closely followed the canon, I decided to try something new._

_I've been messing around with this AU story in my head for several months now. I decided that I now want to start it. If you've ever read some of my stuff before, the writing style for this story will be very different. Also, I used to update daily for my other stories. This story is more complex and harder to write, so expect an update every four to seven days._

_Also, this is rated T for now. The rating might have to change to M for later chapters._

_Now, enjoy, and please tell me what you think in a review after you have finished._

***Katniss***

Beep. Beep. Beep.

I focused on the constant beeping; refusing to believe that it would have to stop sometime very soon. I avoided looking at his face, but instead, gazed down at our entwined hands. My dark olive ones, against his pale, sickly ones.

Once, his had been as dark as mine. Those hands had been strong, and I felt like I would be safe from anything so long as I was holding on.

Not anymore. Cancer had ruined all that.

The beeping faltered for only a brief second, but it was enough to get my own heart racing in fear for him. I willed him to stay with me, but I knew it was a futile wish.

He was already as good as dead. I would never stare into his hard grey eyes, nor would I ever hear his deep laugh.

I forced myself to stare into his face, even though I really didn't want to. I envisioned him not as he was now, but as he used to be. Thick, dark hair that fell into his eyes perfectly had been replaced with a bald head. Olive skin that once glowed with health was now a sickly ashen color. Muscular arms that carried me down the length of a whole beach just last summer were now stick-thin and weak.

My eyes filled with tears, but I did not let them fall. I prided myself on never crying, not even when I was alone. I had only cried once, and that was when my father died. Crying was for weak people, and I did not like to be seen as weak.

Just a year ago, he had been perfectly healthy. Even after the diagnosis, he had been doing very well, because he was young and strong. His body had responded to the chemotherapy, despite the severe side effects.

It all changed last month, though. He had gone from bad to worse in a matter of seconds. His body had started becoming immune to the chemotherapy. That was when they told us that it was over, and we were now playing a waiting game.

They were surprised that he had hung on for this long. I wasn't, though. I knew that he would fight until the very end.

Gale had always been a survivor. Deep down, I had held on to the idea that Gale was too strong to die. I had thought that somehow, by some miracle, he would be cured. These were foolish wishes of a naïve girl that was now forever gone and replaced by the broken woman I saw in the mirror.

Now I knew nothing could save him. No amount of wishing, or prayer, or even love could help him now. Whoever said that love is the best medicine is an idiot.

The doctors had told us to take him off life support yesterday. They told us that this was all needless suffering for both him and us. His mother, Hazelle, had agreed, but my manic screams had convinced her otherwise. Now, here he was, a shell of himself, being kept alive by a monitor.

And it was all my fault. I was too selfish to let him go. If he left, I would never recover. I would spend the rest of my time trying to find the broken pieces of myself. I was afraid to let him go, afraid of what the future holds for me without him.

A nurse hesitantly walked in to the room. She took a quick look at Gale's vital signs, and gave a soft shake of her head. I had been in a hospital long enough to understand the expression on the face of a doctor or nurse. Her face said that Gale's vital signs were practically non-existent.

My fragile heart broke into a million pieces of sadness.

"I'll go get the doctor." She said softly, giving me a sad little smile.

I just nodded my head, trying to make an effort to appear unaffected by Gale's dwindling lifespan. The nurse saw right through me, but she did not say anything.

The silence of the stark white room was broken by the sound of the ventilator and the heartbeat monitor. I focused on the somewhat reassuring sounds, forcing my mind not to wander to the times that I had spent with Gale, and in particular, that one night.

But it did. Nothing could distract me from that night, as long as I lived. The night that I lost my virginity.

It was the night of my birthday. I had let Gale into the crevices of my complicated life that no one had ever entered before. It only felt natural to let him into my body as well.

"_Katniss, are you sure you want this?" He whispered to me. His grey eyes had shone with excitement and passion. I would never forget the look in his eyes that night._

"_Yes, I'm ready." I breathed into his chest._

_It wasn't until he was inside me, filling me up, that I knew what I felt for Gale. I was in love, and I could not deny it anymore. _

A week later, he had been diagnosed with a malignant tumor in his leg. In a year, the cancer had spread to his heart and lungs. No amount of medicine could reverse his condition.

A gray-haired man with blunt features walked in, interrupting my flow of thoughts. No doubt he had seen so many people die that this did not affect him in any way whatsoever.

He took a long look at the machines. They meant nothing to me. I stared at the doctor blankly.

"Miss Everdeen," The doctor addressed me in a business-like tone. I had met him many times before, but I had never bothered remembering his name. In my head, he was just 'the doctor.' "You best be saying your goodbyes. His family will be coming in shortly as well."

I forced myself to nod.

_Goodbye? How do you even say goodbye to someone you know will haunt you as long as you live?_

Instead of addressing the fact that this might very well be the last time I see him alive, I held onto his limp hand like I would slip off the face of the Earth if I let go. I could not do it. I could not say goodbye to the one person who understood me, and loved me the way I am.

"Katniss," Hazelle whispered, her voice broken. "We know how you feel."

I had not even noticed her walk in. She sat down on Gale's other side, and clasped his hand to her lips. I looked away, tears filling my eyes. No one had ever seen me cry, only Gale. I wanted to stay strong, but I was tired.

Tired of holding it all this past month in this hell of a hospital.

I was breaking, my weakness showing through the cracks. Hazelle looked up at me, and whispered, "It's OK to cry. No one will think badly of you."

Those two sentences opened the floodgates. I had tried so hard, but nothing mattered. Now that he was dying, nothing held any meaning.

Hazelle did not tell me to stop, nor did she come over to try to give me a comforting hug. She knew that I needed to get it out.

I fell asleep with tears still coursing down my cheeks as I held onto Gale's finger. I prayed the same prayer that I did every night. One more day, please.

When I woke up, I was not holding Gale's hand anymore. The bed beside me was empty, the sheets clean and cold.

Without anyone telling me what had happened, I already knew.

Gale had died.

I had expected myself to break down, and scream, but I couldn't do anything but stare blankly at the bed.

He had died while I slept. I would never forgive myself for falling asleep and missing his last moments. I felt like if I just stayed awake, he would still be here. There might have been something I could have done. But I would never know.

I ran out of the empty room. It was too much; I couldn't stand being in there without Gale.

Actually, I couldn't stand being anywhere without Gale. I realized that as I ran into the waiting room and came upon Hazelle and Gale's siblings.

His brothers, Rory and Vick, looked so similar to the Gale I remembered. Hazelle held little Posy in her arms. Posy stared around curiously, wondering what was going on.

She was too young to understand that Gale would never come back. I wish I could feel that way right now.

Hazelle looked up at me with tears in her eyes. "He didn't feel anything, Katniss. It was very quick."

* * *

We held the funeral a week later. It was a wet, cold day. It seemed that the whole world was mourning, in its own way.

It never rained in San Diego in June. It just didn't.

There was a small, quiet procession into the church. I was not much for churches. In fact, I had not been to one since my father had been blown to bits in a mining accident.

I sat quietly, wrapping my hands around my shaking knees. I didn't bother to listen to the pastor after the first minute.

"We are here to mourn the loss of a fine young gentleman, who battled the difficulties in his life with courage and faith…"

Those words did not describe Gale at all. When I thought of Gale, the one word I could think of was fire. Somehow, I don't think that would go well with the priest if I mentioned it. I tuned him out; instead focusing on the black dress I wore that fell to my knees.

My mother had insisted that I wear a ladylike dress. I was too heartbroken to care, though, so I just slipped it on.

An hour later, the church filed out into the cemetery behind. My hair dripped with rain as I made my way down the cemetery path. I followed behind Hazelle, focusing on the black coffin that held Gale's body.

I had not looked at his body during the viewing. I didn't want to remember him that way.

I didn't even want to remember him the way he had been with cancer.

I wanted to remember him the way he had been before all this. When he had been the man I had fallen head over heels for.

By the time it was my turn to throw a pile of dirt, I didn't know if the water coursing down my cheeks was rain or tears. All I knew was that there was a lump in the back of my throat, and my eyes burned with sadness.

My mother waited for me in our car by the exit of the church. I climbed in without saying goodbye to anyone. I wasn't in the mood to stay around, and have refreshments in the church hall. This was Gale's funeral, not an excuse to get free coffee and cake.

My mother drove in silence. I was used to my mother's silence; it had been this way since Father's death.

I hadn't forgiven her for zoning out on me the way she had. I don't think I ever will either. Now that I had lost someone, I could understand her pain a little. But in no way did it make up for her absence.

That was when Gale had come into the picture. We had been neighbors, and the same explosion that ended my father's life had killed his father as well. Maybe it was the fact that we were so similar, and suffering through the same pain, that we became closer.

Through him, I learned to move on. He was there as a friend, and eventually, a lover. As long as I was with Gale, I was happy. He used to say that I only smiled around him.

My mother cleared her throat several times. I knew she wanted to say something. Perhaps she wanted to apologize for my loss, or to try to worm herself back into my life. Either way, I ignored her completely, and stared out of the rain-stricken window. The weather seemed to reflect my mood exactly, and I found it oddly calming that I was not the only one mourning Gale.

I was in for a shock when we arrived at our house.

There was a huge moving truck out front, and several men were loading our couches and beds into the truck. As I watched, two men loaded my dresser up onto the truck.

I turned to Mother. "What's happening?" I asked her in an icy tone. I had thought I was unable of feeling after Gale's death, but now I knew I was wrong. My emotions seemed to be heightened, actually, and I felt a wave of fury rush through me.

"I thought it might be best if we moved away from here and started anew." She said in a soft tone. "It will be good for both of us."

I ran up the stairs, ignoring her protests as tears blurred my vision. I locked the door of my room, and stared at the empty room. I sank to the floor and curled up in a ball against the wall. I cried my heart out, reflecting on what my life had been reduced to.

This was my home. I loved it here, I'd never thought of leaving. I'd lost my father, then Gale, and now I am losing the only home I've ever had.

There was a soft knock on my door. "Katniss let me talk to you. Please." My mother tried the door handle, and let herself in when she found it open.

Stupid! Why didn't I lock the door?

She sat down beside me, and looked at me with tired blue eyes. Long ago, my mother used to be considered beautiful. After Father's death, age had taken its toll on her. Wrinkles had appeared on her pale complexion, and she had lost a lot of weight. She was a shadow of herself.

I wondered if I was headed down the same path as her.

She took a deep breath. "I got an offer at a New York hospital. It will be good for us."

I shrugged, even though I felt like strangling her. "When are we leaving?" I asked dully. I was never a submissive person. Gale used to say I was stubborn as a mule. Now, I didn't have the strength to resist. What did it matter anyway?

"Tomorrow. Our plane leaves at six in the morning." She replied. Mother hesitated for a moment, as if she wanted to say something more. But she left, and closed the door of my room.

Once she had left, I curled up in my bed. It was only five, but I felt physically and mentally drained. I brushed my hair out of my eyes, and closed my eyes.

Sleep didn't come easily, even though I felt more exhausted than I had in years. As soon as I closed my eyes, I saw Gale's face. I could hear his deep voice saying "Katniss, why did you leave me?" over and over. I would scream that I had not left him, he'd left me. But Gale never believed me.

I woke to my mother's alarm clock at three in the morning drenched in sweat and shaking.

We had to be at the airport two hours early, and it took thirty minutes to get there. So that meant Ihad half an hour before we had to leave. I spent that half hour wandering around my room. I tried to grasp on to the fact that I would never return here.

I had no doubt that I would spend my last year in high school as a loner. I would be viewed as a freak. This did not bother me too much, though, because I had always been quiet and friendless. Beside Gale, the only friend I had was Madge.

I wonder what she would think when she did not see me in school come August.

Before leaving my room, I took my small mockingjay pin from my closet. My father had given it to me before his untimely death. He had told me mockingjays were a symbol of resilience and survival.

Even though I did not feel resilient or strong, I didn't want to leave the last piece of him here. I buckled it on to my shirt, slipped some flip-flops on my bare feet, and walked out of the room. I didn't look back as I made my way down the stairs and into the kitchen.

My mother had set out some cereal and milk for my breakfast. I poured cereal into my milk, and ate the food without tasting any of it. For some strange reason, I could not process the fact that this would be my last meal here.

My mother descended the stairs, closing the buttons on her shirt as she went down. She gave me a tentative smile, and poured a bowl of cereal for herself.

We ate standing, because there weren't any chairs to sit on. "Are you excited?" My mother asked as she threw her bowl away. I followed suit, and turned to face her.

"Why?" I asked quietly. This was, in my opinion, the stupidest question she could've asked me.

"Because you get to start over now."

"I do not want to start over!" I cried out. It occurred to me that this was the longest sentence I had said since Gale's death.

"I didn't know him very well." She said. "But I'm sorry. He seemed like a nice young man."

I didn't reply. Her apology meant next to nothing. She had not even bothered to ask about my life, or get to know Gale.

Before I knew what was happening, I was in the passenger seat of our silver Honda Accord. Just before Mother turned the corner, I whispered Goodbye .

Goodbye to the house I'd grown up in since I was five.

Goodbye to the only place I had found happiness in.

And, most importantly, goodbye to Gale.

Surely, I would never return here. I've just lost everything.

For someone who had just lost everything that held meaning in life, I was relatively calm. I didn't cry in the car as we passed the beach, and I made an effort to listen to every song that had played on the radio. By the time we arrived, I had listened to Coldplay, Adele, and Maroon 5.

I hate airports.

They are so big, and the LAX was huge as far as airports went. We didn't have many bags, just two carry-ons. The moving truck held all our belongings. It was currently being driven to New York by the people Mother had hired.

"Look for Terminal Seven," Mother said as she scanned the map of the airport in front of us. I looked alongside her, and found Terminal Seven three terminals down our left.

While Mother went to go confirm our tickets, I sat down on one of the rickety airport chairs. I flipped my iPod on, and saw that a whole new playlist had been downloaded on for me.

I clicked it, and the title said _Love Always, Gale._

There were about thirty songs that he had downloaded. Gale had always been in charge of my iPod. He knew my song preferences better than I knew them myself. My heart beat quickly, and I felt myself becoming light-headed and dizzy.

A moment later, I felt the tears pooling up in my eyes, and I didn't make an attempt to stop them.

I hadn't even thanked him. How much effort must it have taken him to download this whole playlist for me while he had been fighting to live?

I switched the iPod off, overcome with emotion, and buried it at the bottom of the carry on. My hands shook, and I felt the tears roll down my face.

My mother plopped down next to me, and looked at my tear-streaked face. She put a tentative hand around me. Instead of refusing her touch, like I had for so long, I leaned into her.

Mother looked surprised that I had let her hug me. This must be the first time since Father's death that I have allowed her to touch me.

I leaned into her, and for the first time, understood what a mother's touch really meant. I had not felt this safe since Gale-

Dammit, everything reminded me of him. A wave of tears rushed through me just at the thought of his name.

Mother just held me, and we ignored the stares of the people passing by.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, an attendant said, "Flight Number 96, headed for New York City, is currently boarding!"

* * *

_Please tell me what you thought. I need the constructive criticism, especially for this chapter, more than any others. The first chapter is always the hardest for me._

_Next chapter: Peeta's POV. Takes place two months after this chapter._


	2. Chapter 1: Peeta

**~Sketching Out Our Love~**

**~Chapter 1~**

_Hello everyone! Thanks for all the amazing reviews! You inspire me with your comments, and that's what keeps me going. I truly appreciate your support. _

_Many of you were concerned about the absence of some of the characters so far. I can promise that they will all show up in the next couple of chapters, if not in this one. The first was just a prologue to give a backstory, so please don't get worried. _

_Enjoy!_

*****Peeta (2 Months Later) *****

"Prim, hurry up!" I yelled up the stairs in the general direction of Prim's room. I heard a muffled yell from Prim's room, and I sighed. _How long does it take to get ready anyways?_

"Peeta, dear, calm down. It's her first day of high school, so of course she's taking a little while longer than usual." My mother said with a sympathetic smile.

I leaned against the stair railing, and swung my keys in a wide arc as I waited. "Why do I have to drive her anyways?" I muttered under my breath so Mother wouldn't hear.

Mother heard me anyways. "Because I have to work today, and your father is busy." She retorted in a clipped voice. I know that she really meant is that Dad didn't care about Prim or me in the slightest. I haven't had a normal conversation with my dad since I made the football team freshman year.

"Peeta, I'm ready!" Prim sang as she swiped some lip gloss on her lips before checking her appearance in the mirror one last time. Her blonde hair was curled, and her blue eyes shone with the aid of some sparkly eye shadow. I'd always thought of Prim as beautiful, though, whether she had make-up on or not.

An overwhelming urge to protect her came over me. I guess it was just my big brother side coming out.

"Prim, you look beautiful, now come on." I said to her with a smile as I tried to shake the protective feeling.

"Thanks, Peet," She replied with a mocking smirk. I just rolled my eyes, and headed out to our front door. I gave Mother a quick, one-armed hug, and held the door open for Prim.

"You got everything, Prim?" I asked as we strode out to my car.

"Yeah, I think so," She replied. I didn't miss the look of apprehension that passed across her delicate features, though.

I slung my backpack into the backseat, and Prim did the same with hers. She sat in the passenger seat, while I sat in front of the wheel and started the engine. Once we were on the road, Prim turned to me with an anxious look and turned the radio down a bit.

"Prim, what was that for?" I asked in an annoyed tone. The top song on the charts had just come on. I made a move to turn it back up, but Prim blocked my hand. I reluctantly put my fingers back on the wheel with an irritated glance at her.

"Peeta, I'm kind of scared," She told me shakily, fidgeting with her fingers nervously as she stared out the window.

I forgot my former annoyance with her and gaped at her for a couple of seconds. Bubbly, sociable, outgoing Prim was scared? I don't think I've heard her say she was scared of anything, besides the spider she found in her room yesteday. "There's nothing to be scared of, Prim." I told her as I made a turn and entered the freeway.

"What if they don't like me?" She asked in such a soft whisper that I almost didn't hear her.

My heart went out for her. She looked so vulnerable in this moment as she stared at me with her big blue eyes. I searched for the right words to reassure her. "Prim, everyone loves you." I began. It was true, everyone adored Prim. "You're going to make lots of friends, and you'll love high school."

"I guess." She answered in a skeptically optimistic tone of voice.

She turned the radio back up, and I clasped her hand briefly. "You'll be fine, Prim." I stated to her with a sincere smile.

She tentatively returned the grin. "I wish Rye was as nice as you, Peet," She said wistfully.

My hands froze on the wheel for a moment. Rye was our older brother, and he was very much like my father in all respects. He was very curt, and didn't value family enough. They were both businessmen at heart. I don't think I've seen Rye without a suit and tie for three years. "He'll come around eventually, Prim." I said, trying to convince myself as much as her.

"I hope so." She murmured softly. I turned into Central High School's parking lot, and parked in parking spot number 52, which was my parking spot.

Prim eased the door open shakily, and peered out hesitantly before stepping out. "Peeta, it's so big!" She exclaimed as her eyes took in the vast brown buildings of her new school.

"It needs to be big, Prim-Prim," I replied with a smile. "There are 4,000 students in this school!"

I immediately knew that this was the wrong thing to say. Prim gave me a look of pure terror, and nervously slipped her backpack on and played with the straps obsessively.

"I didn't mean it that way, Prim." I added hastily. I took her small hand, and we crossed the street and entered the main school building.

Prim looked around curiously, eyeing the metal lockers, large rooms, and the huge cafeteria off to the side. "Wow, Peeta, this is so cool!" She exclaimed in such a loud voice that several passing students stared at her curiously.

"Prim, do you need help finding your locker?" I asked her as I flipped mine open. She just stood beside me and watched me stuff all my books inside.

"I think I'll be fine, Peet." She said, looking around her and smiling hesitantly at a thin, dark-skinned girl who also looked like a freshman as she walked by.

"Ok, go ahead, Prim," I told her with a reassuring smile. "Do you need anything else?"

"Ok, Peeta, you can loosen up on the protective big brother thing! I'm fine, seriously!" She said in a slightly annoyed voice. I could tell she wasn't serious, though, because she smiled at me and shook her head.

She turned around, and took a small step forward. She looked so scared that she might as well be stepping on the moon. I turned back to my already chaotic locker, to find that Prim had instantly turned back to face me.

I could see the nerves on her face, and she came back up to me, and whispered, "Peeta, if I don't find anywhere to sit at lunch, can I please sit by you?" She gave me the puppy dog eyes that I could never resist, and I exhaled in defeat.

"Of course, Prim-Prim," I told her wearily. "Just look for the table with all the big senior football players."

_Even though I don't really want to be there, and I hardly belong there anyways._

"Thanks, Peeta!" She breathed out in relief, and bounded away in search of her locker. I watched her for a moment, and turned back to close my locker. It's not like it will stay clean anyway, so what's the point?

I wondered where my girlfriend was. Usually, she would find me seconds after I stepped foot in school. Her capability of finding me so effortlessly is creepy. Sometimes, I could swear that the girl has a tracker implanted in me.

Maybe she decided to break up with me.

No, that's too much to hope for.

"Peeeeeeetttaaaaaaaaaa!" A high-pitched, girly voice exclaimed in a loud scream. I didn't even need to turn around to know who was shouting my name.

Speak of the devil.

She launched herself into my arms, and I almost buckled under her weight. I wasn't expecting her, and my shoulder crashed into my locker painfully. That will definitely leave a bruise. I steadied myself, and managed to hold Glimmer's slender frame in my arms easily.

"Peeta! Oh my gosh, I missed you so much!" She screamed in my ear. I winced at the loud noise, and picked some of her blonde hair out of my mouth. It smelled terrible, and I coughed slightly. Who buys tropical fruit smelling shampoo anyways?

"You texted me until midnight yesterday, and I saw you the day before," I reminded her once I could talk again. "How did you miss me so fast?"

"Peeta! You do not talk to your girlfriend like that!" She huffed angrily as she glared at me with her green eyes. She linked her arm through mine, and I mechanically put an arm around her waist.

I can't believe that I once thought this girl was beautiful. It had taken me three months to get up the nerve to ask her out sophomore year, and we've been inseparable since then. Glimmer has hung on to me like a wasp.

And now, she's the one in charge in this relationship. I couldn't break up with her if I tried.

Glimmer seemed to relax now that my arm was around her, so I steered us both over to the "popular" table. The only reason I ended up at this table is because of football, because I know that Cato can't stand me. And as far as things went in Central High, Cato was the boss.

Sure enough, Cato gave me a curt nod once Glimmer and I reached his table. His ice blue eyes ran over my muscular frame, and he snickered at me. "You in the football team again this year, Mellark?" He asked in his deep voice.

I smiled at Cato, trying to break the invisible tension, and flexed my arms a little. "Of course, Cato. Who else would be your linebacker?"

To anyone viewing our conversation, it would look like we got along just fine. But I knew better. During our sophomore year, I had done the unthinkable. I had challenged Cato, and I'd surprisingly won.

Cato and I had both liked Glimmer sophomore year. But I asked Glimmer out first, and Cato has detested me ever since. I made him look like a fool, and no one does that without initiating Cato's rage.

Even with all that, I couldn't understand why Cato had held a grudge against me all these years. He had Clove now, and they are just as inseparable as Glimmer and me. But I think they are actually truly affectionate towards each other, unlike me and Glimmer. I'd expected him to move on, but Cato isn't the forgiving type.

Glimmer started to chatter on about meaningless crap with her equally conceited, popular friends. I heard snippets of their conversation. "OMG, I was like so embarrassed, because he was so hot!" Glimmer said enthusiastically.

Wait, hold on? I'm her boyfriend, and she can talk about stuff like that in front of me?

I turned away from Glimmer's mind-numbing exchange, and found myself face to face with Marvel. He was actually the only person out of my whole group of so-called friends that I could actually stand being around for any length of time.

"Hey, Peeta, how are you?" Marvel asked with a smile. I smiled back at him, and gave some stupid reply that I didn't remember after it left my mouth. We easily settled into a light conversation about the latest Xbox game, and I made a mental note to pick up several of the games Marvel had recommended this weekend.

This conversation effectively wasted the last couple minutes until the bell rang. I edged away from the table, hoping that Glimmer had forgotten about me and would let me walk off to class alone.

No such luck, because Glimmer said goodbye to her friends quickly and made a beeline for me. "Peeta, what's your first class?" She purred at me while batting her long eyelashes.

I swallowed my disgust. "English, babe." I responded cheerily, as I forced a smile on my face.

_My whole life was practically a lie. Forced smile, forced affections, forced everything._

"Oh, Peeta, me too!" She exclaimed happily. I brushed some of her blonde hair off her perfectly pore- less skin, and she blushed lightly under my fingers. It was so easy to placate Glimmer, she was practically brainless. All I have to do was flirt with her, which was in her case, very easy to do.

It turns out that Glimmer and I have every single class, besides weights, together this semester. While I had weights fifth hour, she had dance. I tried to focus on the bright side. At least I can get away from her for one class period.

Who was I kidding? There was no silver lining. I was stuck with a group of friends that I secretly despised, playing a sport I hated, and stuck with a girlfriend that I didn't want.

Just my luck. I could tell that this was going to be a very long year.

I headed over to the English room with Glimmer, to find it blocked because our whole class was standing at the door. Glimmer used this as an opportunity to flirt with me. She chattered on with me about her new blonde lowlights in her hair, and how they really complimented her skin tone. I zoned out, and wondered when I will actually meet someone who I can actually relate to. High school was all about appearances.

I came out of my musing with a start, and realized that Glimmer was looking at me expectantly, as if she had just asked a question. I hastily smiled at her, and said, "Yes, Glimmer, you look absolutely gorgeous." I gave her a light kiss on her smooth cheek.

Glimmer beamed at me, and I smiled back at her. I couldn't believe that someone could be that self-obsessed and dumb, but Glimmer had lived up to my expectations. It made the task of being her boyfriend very easy though, because the response to everything she asked me was "You are so pretty, Glimmer."

She ran her perfectly manicured glittering fingers over my chest, and made her way up to my neck. I leaned in for a quick kiss, and Glimmer said, "You're so lucky to have me, Peeta baby."

This is what I meant about Glimmer being the most self-obsessed person on Earth. Who in their right mind says that anyways?

The class began to move inside the classroom, and Glimmer and I walked in behind Cato and his girlfriend Clove.

A strict-looking woman with graying hair and large spectacles glared at us as she put us in assigned seating. Glimmer whimpered about how unfair it was that we had to sit in assigned seating like little second graders. "I want to sit next to you, baby!" She moaned sadly. Her normally bright green eyes looked at me sadly, and she pouted at me.

"It's ok, Glimmer," I attempted to reassure her. Honestly, I hope we sit on opposite sides of the room. "I'm sure we will end up sitting close to each other." I ruffled her blonde hair playfully, and she giggled.

The teacher locked her cold brown eyes on Glimmer and I, and she barked at me. "Boy!" I looked at her questioningly, and she beckoned at me with a talon-like hand. "Yes, you! Over there!" She pointed at the seat all the way at the back of the room, in the corner by the window.

I pretended to give Glimmer a miserable face, but on the inside, I was ecstatic. I was going to sit all the way at the back of the room, hopefully where Glimmer can't bother me.

I took the seat at the back of the classroom, slung my backpack down on the ground, and watched as my class was sorted into their desks. I knew everyone here, which didn't surprise me. We hardly ever got new students.

I was very pleased when our teacher put Glimmer all the way at the other side of the room, as far from me as possible. I felt a twinge of happiness go through me, and I relaxed in my plastic chair until my head rested on the edge of the seat. I closed my eyes, and tilted my face towards the sunlight filtering into the room.

I was shaken out of my relaxed state by a loud snicker, and I unwillingly opened one of my eyes to find out who had interrupted my peace.

I opened my mouth to tell the person to shut up, but to my dismay, I saw that Cato was sitting right in front of me. The words died in my throat, and I gave him a tentative smile instead, which he didn't return.

_Well, this was going to be an interesting class to wake up to every morning._

Instead of attempting to start a conversation with Cato, I pretended to be immersed in what our teacher was rambling on about. I found out that her name was Ms. McCrain, and I instantly felt a strong dislike towards her. I was usually one for looking at the bright side of people, but this woman didn't seem to have a bright side.

Ms. McCrain's rambling was interrupted by the opening of the door. An olive-skinned girl with dark hair and a scowl walked in, slammed the door, and handed a late slip to Ms. McCrain.

McCrain narrowed her hawk-like eyes at the girl, and asked, "So, why are you so late?"

The girl rolled her eyes at McCrain, and replied, "I slept in."

The class gaped at the brunette in shock, and I heard whispers spread through the room like wildfire. "I can't believe she said that to a teacher!" The girl looked around at the stunned faces of the class carelessly, and stood in front of McCrain looking bored.

I found my respect for this snobbish girl rise. McCrain, on the other hand, didn't seem so impressed. She narrowed her eyes even further at the slender girl, and said, "Please take a seat at the back, next to Mr. Mellark."

I could practically see McCrain breathing fire, and in spite of myself, I smiled. This girl had a serious attitude problem.

_Well, at least she isn't trying to be someone she isn't, like you are._ A voice at the back of my head responded.

I ignored the voice, and turned my attention towards the front of the room again.

The girl glared at McCrain for a second longer, spun gracefully on her feet, and headed towards the seat right next to me.

As she got closer, I realized what a striking color her eyes were. They were a silvery grey color, and they were by far her most prominent feature. They looked strangely beautiful against her olive toned skin and dark hair. She wore a pair of jeans and a fitted green shirt, and her dark hair was in a pretty French braid. She was, in an exotic way, gorgeous. She was a welcome change from Glimmer's blonde hair, green eyes, and artificially tanned skin.

I heard a low whistle of appreciation coming from Cato as the girl finally reached her seat.

She sat down next to me with a huff, and Cato immediately turned around in his seat to give her a wide smile. "Hi, gorgeous, I'm Cato." He said to her in a light purr.

The girl glared at Cato. "And why should I care?" She whispered in a sharp voice. She organized her backpack on the floor, and took out a pencil and a notebook.

I knew that she had gone a step too far, though. No one talked to Cato that way, unless they really wanted a punch in the face.

"You are talking to the varsity football captain here." He replied coolly as his icy eyes roamed over the girl's face and chest.

"Oh, scary." The girl replied in a stinging voice.

Cato turned back to face forward in his seat, but his body remained tense. The girl flipped open her notebook, and started to take notes on McCrain's lecture, completely ignoring me and Cato. I opened my book as well, but instead of taking notes, I started sketching.

The class went by agonizingly slowly. After ten minutes, I had completed a full sketch of the sunset. I had been trying to draw an accurate sunset for months now, but I always had difficulty with them. I couldn't seem to capture the majestic feel attributed to the setting sun.

I crumbled the paper with a sigh of defeat, and stuffed the crumbled up paper at the bottom of my backpack.

I chanced a look over at the girl sitting next to me, and saw that she was still taking notes. I peered down at her notebook, and saw that she had actually stopped taking notes long ago. The last line was about poetry, which McCrain had talked about ten minutes ago.

She seemed to be sketching out initials in the corner of the page. I squinted, trying to make out the letters she was tracing.

_GH._

The girl suddenly noticed my eyes on her paper, and she hastily covered up the initial with her hand. But it was too late, I'd already seen, and she knew it.

"Who's GH?" I asked her curiously. I stared at her dark, straight hair, and her beautiful skin tone. She turned to face me, and her grey eyes met mine. For a second, I felt my heart stop.

"Nobody," She muttered, turning back to her paper and taking notes on McCrain's lecture. I saw that her cheeks had a red tint to them though, and she gave me a sideways glance when she thought I wasn't looking.

I pointedly avoided her, closed my eyes and reclined in my chair as far as I could go for the rest of the period.

The bell rang, and I gratefully collected my stuff up and stuffed them in my backpack. I was just hoisting my backpack on when Glimmer came skipping over to me.

Great. I had actually managed to forget about her for about half an hour too.

"OH, Peeta, that was terrible!" She screamed as she flung her arms around me. I embraced her back, and chanced a look back at my new desk partner. She was looking at Glimmer with a small hint of amusement in her eyes.

Before leaving, I gave the girl a small smile. She glared at me, and I turned away from her.

_She'll have to talk to me eventually,_ I figured.

Putting the girl out of my mind, I towed Glimmer out of the room, and we headed to Math together.

"Peeta, did you see that girl?" Glimmer asked me in amazement, turning her bright green eyes at me.

"Yeah, she sat right by me." I said in a neutral tone. I didn't want to go making fun of the girl, or spread any rumors about her. She just seemed like the kind of girl Glimmer would love to gossip about.

"She's really something." Glimmer muttered as she grabbed her Math book out of her locker.

For the first time, I completely agreed with Glimmer.

I was disappointed that our Math teacher didn't put us in assigned seating. So of course I ended up sitting right next to Glimmer. And what was worse, the new girl from my English class wasn't in my Math class.

I felt a twinge of sadness when I realized that I hadn't even asked for her name.

School was dull and uneventful until fourth period. Glimmer sat next to me in third period also, which just served to make me even more miserable.

As I was walking to fourth class, I saw Prim walking through the hallway with the small, dark girl she had smiled at earlier. Prim waved at me, and mouthed _Where's the airhead?_

I laughed despite my abysmal mood. Prim hated Glimmer as much as I did. Whenever I brought her to our house, Prim always did something to enrage Glimmer. Last week, she had "accidently" spilled lemonade down Glimmer's Juicy shirt. Glimmer was enraged, and I found myself laughing instead of rebuking Prim.

Prim had been convincing me to break up with her for months now.

_Fixing her makeup,_ I mouthed at Prim. Prim laughed in incredulity, and turned to her friend, no doubt to tell her how stupid and shallow Glimmer was.

I found that I didn't mind at all. Actually, the thought made me laugh.

I entered the Science room, and found that the brunette was in this class as well. The teacher was arranging us in seats, and I stood as close as I could to the new girl. I could smell a calming lavender scent coming off of her, and I breathed in deeply. This was so much better than Glimmer's Chanel perfume.

"Hi, what's your name?" I asked her once I was standing beside her.

She disregarded me, but I kept poking her arm until she finally had to turn and face me. "I don't have one." She muttered without meeting my eyes.

"Of course you do," I said while I rolled my eyes and laughed. This girl needed to smile a bit. And I swore that someday, I would make that girl smile.

"Stop talking to me, Popular Boy," She finally said, glaring at me.

I recoiled. She might as well have called me every nasty name she could think of and I still wouldn't have reacted as badly.

I didn't want to be seen as some shallow popular boy. I didn't want this girl to think of me like that, because that's not who I am.

But that's who she saw standing in front of her. A despicable, arrogant, easily forgettable blonde boy. I chided myself for ever wanting Cato's friendship.

If anyone has ever needed new friends, it would be me.

"Katniss Everdeen!" The teacher yelled, effectively jerking me out of my thoughts.

The girl beside me started as well, and walked towards the seat that the teacher had pointed at.

_Haha, so much for not having a name. _

"Peeta Mellark!" The teacher read my name off of her clipboard, and I stepped forward. She pointed at the seat directly in front of Katniss.

I sat down, and turned right around to Katniss. I would talk to this girl, and have a normal conversation with her, if it's the last thing I ever do

"So, Katniss," I said, savoring her name on my lips. "So much for not having a name, huh?"

"Whatever, shut up." She muttered to me. She brushed a stray lock of hair out of her eyes, and tucked it behind her ears.

"Manners, sweetheart," I replied in an authoritative voice. "So, who's GH?"

When I didn't get an answer from her, I put up my hands in mock defeat. "Fine, I give up!" I moaned, trying to soften her up.

She took my words to heart, though, and pointedly ignored me. I honestly didn't know whether I should be laughing or complaining about her silence.

The teacher called for silence, and Katniss turned around. I eyed her perfectly done braid, and tried to follow the strands of hair down to the bottom. It was perfect, and I easily got caught up in her braid.

She had personality, and fire. Unlike Glimmer, who was every inch the stereotyped blonde cheerleader.

I tried to get Katniss to turn around several times during the period. I didn't know if she couldn't hear me or if she was ignoring me. Knowing Katniss, it would most likely be the latter.

_What is wrong with you, Peeta? Can you not talk to a girl besides Glimmer and not get her to ignore you?_

_**I hope this chapter answered some of your questions from the prologue. **_

_**Please leave a review, and let me know what you think! I love all reviews, they inspire me to write and keep going.**_

_**Next Chapter: Katniss POV.**_


	3. Chapter 2: Katniss

**~Sketching Out Our Love~**

**~Chapter 2~**

_Hi everyone! As always, thank you for all your reviews! You have no idea how much each and every one means to me. I truly appreciate the overwhelming response this story has gotten so far. It is so amazing and inspiring! _

_If you have any suggestions you would like to see in the story, put it in a review or PM me. I will be more than happy to use your suggestions. However, I do not write lemons very well, and if you've read some of my stuff before, you know that. So please don't request lemon scenes. _

_Enjoy! _

***Katniss POV***

"Do I have to go?" I moaned as I buried my face more deeply into the pillow and tried to block out the weak sunlight coming from the window. Facing the outside world seemed like a colossal feat when I was snuggled up and warm under the covers of my bed.

"Yes. It's your first week, and you've been late twice already." Mother replied in an detached tone. Just from the sound of her voice, I knew she was having one of those days where she would retreat into a dark corner of her mind. After Gale's passing, I could relate to her pain more easily. It was easier to forgive her when she was dead to the world now that I knew what she had gone through.

With a loud sigh, I swung my legs off the side of the bed, and stretched my arms in front of me. These simple movements made my arms ache with early morning exhaustion. I staggered to the bathroom, and stared at my zombie-like appearance. My dark hair was tangled, and fell into my dull grey eyes. My normally olive complexion was pale, and I had dark circles under my eyes.

Yes, I could tell today was definitely one of those days that will just get worse the longer I stay awake.

I slipped into a pair of jeans and a plain blue t-shirt, and grabbed a chocolate muffin that I didn't want to eat on my way out of the house.

We lived in one of Manhattan's skyscraper apartment buildings, so I rode the elevator down to the first floor, and stepped out into the busy streets of Manhattan. This was nothing like California. Whereas California was quieter, everything here was a bustle of sound and movement. I got jostled by three different people as I walked out of sight of our apartment.

I turned right, and began the short walk to school. It felt so strange to walk to school, because in California, I'd always driven to school with Gale.

So much had changed in so little time…

I swiftly blinked the tears that had abruptly appeared at the thought of his name; nobody needed to see me cry. I didn't like the thought of being looked at as a baby. The only time I would only cry was at night when no one can see my weakness.

Even two months later, the littlest things remind me of him. The rustling of trees in the breeze always reminded me of the days we spent hunting together. Whenever I saw a girl and boy kiss at school, my heart would ache with all that I've lost.

The walk was brief and uneventful, so in ten minutes, I arrived at the vast campus of Central High School. I banished all thoughts of Gale from my head, and stepped inside the main building of my new school.

Right as I walked in, the bell rang loudly, signaling the beginning of the school day. I debated going to my locker, but then I realized that I didn't care about English enough to walk all the way to my locker and grab my copy of _Macbeth._

I dragged my feet to McCrain's room, and strolled all the way to the back of the room where my seat was. After the first day of school, no one took any notice of me. I had walked in ten minutes late, and McCrain had been furious with me. I had gotten quite a few stares from my classmates for the first couple of days. But now I was just the new kid who didn't fit in anywhere. By senior year, everyone had their own group of friends. That left me alone.

Sometimes, I preferred being alone. That way, there was no one to pester me and tried to get me to spill my secrets. I definitely wasn't going to tell any of these people about Gale.

Well, almost completely alone. There was one big exception to that phrase.

"Katniss," A voice near my ear whispered, tickling my ear. I wasn't expecting the voice; so as a result, I jumped about a mile in the air. I turned my head to glare coldly at my desk partner. Of all the people I could've sat next, I had to sit next to the happy kid who could never shut up.

Right now, he was observing me with his bright blue orbs, obviously pleased that he had managed to scare me. I felt my cheeks heat up, and I managed to give him the best glare I could muster. This only caused Desk Partner to laugh even louder.

My desk partner was of medium height, and muscular from playing football. His blonde hair was a messy halo of wavy locks that always fell right into his eyes. But his most amazing feature was his eyes. They were the most vivid sky blue I had ever seen, and they always seemed to be looking at me with a bright expression. He was fair skinned, with the longest blonde eyelashes I had ever seen.

In short, he was very handsome. He could probably win any girl over, but not me. I was immune to love.

I turned away from him, and bent my head over a spare notebook that had been in my backpack just to have something to look at. I was seething with anger, and this fact was not missed on him.

I didn't know his first name; all I knew was that his last name was Mellark. McCrain had called him Mellark on my first day here, which was why I knew that. His girlfriend always called him "baby," which didn't help with learning his name. I found the term of endearment completely sickening.

"Do you not have a copy of _Macbeth?"_ Desk Partner inquired. He seemed to be genuinely concerned at my lack of a book.

I shook my head without looking in his direction, refusing to humor him by talking to him. I suddenly regretted not going to my locker and grabbing the dumb book. Now he would insist that we share.

Sure enough, he pushed his book in between our desks, and said, "We can share, then."

I sighed, but didn't have the heart to tell him no. His blue eyes were wide and friendly, and his blonde hair stuck out in all directions. He had a hopeful smile on his lips, and as much as he got on my nerves, I refused to wipe that smile off.

"Thank you." I said softly, making an effort to be nicer, and moved my chair so I could see the book better. We read one scene together as a class before McCrain instructed us to read with our table partners.

I groaned inwardly as my earlier frustration with him reappeared. I didn't want to work with this overly cheerful popular boy. He didn't seem to mind working with me, though, and he gave me his signature wide smile that made my heart jump for some reason I didn't quite comprehend.

"I'll read first, alright?" He asked me. I nodded my head in agreement, and he cleared his throat.

His voice was strong and steady, and I found that I didn't want him to stop. The words of Macbeth lost all meaning to me as I focused on his voice, and I started to zone out.

After several minutes of him reading, he suddenly looked up from his book, and our eyes met. I felt embarrassment rush through me as he caught me staring at him, and I quickly looked away.

He didn't say anything about my gawping at him, but instead handed me the book. "I think you should read now." He announced as he brushed his unruly hair out of his eyes and settled back into his chair.

_Crap! Why didn't I pay attention to what he was reading? Stupid Katniss!_

A wave of awkwardness rushed through me, and I had no choice but to ask, "Where did you stop?"

Desk Partner started laughing, and I felt my humiliation rise tenfold. The need to defend myself suddenly rose up inside me, and the words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. "Watch it, Blondie."

For several seconds, he stared at me with incredulous shock. Then he started chortling again, much to my annoyance and humiliation. I felt my cheeks heat up with humiliation. Everyone in the vicinity was staring at us curiously, and Cato, the football captain, was snickering at me. As I looked at him, he mouthed _Fireball, aren't you?_

_That's right, Katniss. Just sit down and make a scene so everyone can laugh at you. _I thought wryly.

I ignored Cato, and asked Blonde in a rude and impatient tone, "So, what is your name then?"

He had gotten over his laughing fit, and replied, "Pita Mellark."

I snickered before I could stop myself. "Like the bread?"

_What a strange name. _

Pita laughed again good-naturedly. "No, P-E-E-T-A."

"Ok, Peeta," I replied, exaggerating the vowels in his name.

"Yep." He replied, popping the _p_. I just stared at him, trying to understand how someone could be so outgoing and friendly.

_You could learn some things from him, Katniss._

I was right about this day getting worse as it goes on. I had already humiliated myself in front of the whole school, and it was only first period. _Just wonderful._

To my surprise, Peeta looked up at me, and the next words out of his mouth threw me off. "I like you, Katniss. You're not pretending. You're _real." _His blue eyes looked at me earnestly during his little proclamation as he leaned forward in his seat eagerly to look at me.

I had no idea what he meant with that speech, but I nodded all the same. I really needed to stop drawing attention to myself.

Thankfully, at that moment, McCrain appeared by Peeta's desk, and looked at us sternly from over her glasses. It was honestly the first time I'd ever been glad to see her. "We are reading, Miss Everdeen?" She asked in a dry voice.

"Yes." I said shortly, not caring about my lack of manners.

McCrain scrutinized me for several seconds, clearly not believing me, but she walked away all the same. I turned back to Peeta, who looked merely bored.

"Who's GH?" He asked me drowsily, with one eye closed as his head rested on the desk.

I flinched at the question. Peeta had seen me writing out Gale's initials on the first day of school, and he has pestered me endlessly since then. My lack of an answer didn't dissuade him, and he had just kept asking.

I randomly picked a sentence on the page we had been on, and began reading. I didn't care what I was reading, so long as it distracted me from Gale.

_If Peeta ever thinks I will tell him that, he is sadly mistaken. _

"So, is he a secret lover?" Peeta asked once I had read through the whole page.

In response, I shook my head, not trusting myself to speak. My throat was closing up, and tears were blurring my vision. I refused to let them fall, though.

Thankfully, Peeta seemed to sense that he had gone too far. He stopped teasing me, and I began to associate another word with Peeta. _Considerate._

Peeta Mellark had definitely surprised me today. Maybe Peeta wasn't the popular airhead I had accused him of being. I just felt like there was something more to him.

I had never expected to find that quality in him, or anyone else, for that matter.

So, when the bell rang to signal the end of first period, I whispered, "Thank you."

* * *

I knocked on the door hesitantly, and played with the end of my braid. I had always had a habit of playing with my hair when I was nervous. I wasn't sure why I was nervous, but hospitals had an air of dread associated with them.

_Probably because I sat in one for a whole month and watched Gale die_

"Come in, Katniss," A calm male voice replied before I could muse on Gale any furthur. I pushed the door open, walked in, and closed it silently. It was so quiet here that I felt like the softest noise would echo loudly. Nevertheless, I walked inside silently.

It wasn't my first time here, but as always, I felt out of place. It seemed too clean, too quiet here for me. The room had an air of calm about it, and I felt the opposite of calm right now. I was weary, frazzled, and thoroughly out of it.

I took a seat in front of the desk, playing with my fingers obsessively and staring anywhere but at the man in front of me. The walls were a stark white, and I focused on the wall to my right.

"Well, Katniss, how are you?" Cinna asked as he shuffled through some papers on his desk, effectively breaking me out of my trance.

_Stalker, _I instinctively thought.

"Fine." I muttered instead. I wasn't in the mood to talk right now, and Cinna seemed to sense that. Nothing passed Cinna by; he seemed to know exactly how I was feeling. If he wasn't a psychologist, then I would be completely freaked out by him

"Katniss, tell me about your day."

Cinna also didn't give up easily. During our first appointment, I had said two words to Cinna. They had been _Yes _and _No. _We have progressed to full sentences since then, but there was still a disconnect between us, thanks to me.

"I went to school, and came here," I replied in a listless tone. I led a boring and uneventful life, so if Cinna didn't like my answer, that's too bad.

"Who did you talk to?" He pressed gently.

"Nobody," I puffed out in annoyance. Peeta didn't count, because he did all the talking, and I did the glaring

I glared at Cinna coldly, and he looked back at me evenly. I was so frustrated with him; I just wanted to rip the calm smile off his face. He had no idea what I had gone through.

At first, I had told Mother I would never see a doctor. She had insisted that I see a psychologist who worked at the same hospital she did. I know that she didn't want me to end up the same way she did. But following my first visit with Cinna, I actually _felt better._

My first visit hadn't gone the way I'd expected it to. For a doctor, Cinna seemed so normal. He wasn't wearing a white lab coat like I'd expected. Instead, he was in jeans and a t-shirt. He radiated an air of tranquility that instantly made me trust him. I didn't trust easily, so this was a huge leap of faith for me.

As annoying as Cinna could be, he had a rare quality that had kept me coming back to these weekly appointments. I couldn't place my finger on what it was.

_Determined? Confident? Kind?_

_No, none of those words seemed to fit Cinna very well._

For several seconds, Cinna and I stared at each other. My grey eyes bore into his dark ones that were accentuated with light gold eyeliner. Finally, Cinna broke the silence. "How often do you think about Gale?"

"All the time," I whispered, my voice breaking on the last word. Hot tears welled up in my eyes, and I struggled to hide them from Cinna.

There was no keeping my tears from Cinna. He was too observant. "Making friends would help." He murmured quietly.

To my surprise, Cinna got up and came to stand at my side. I appreciated the gesture, and allowed him to take a seat beside me.

When I blinked through my tears, I saw that Cinna was holding my hand. "It's ok to cry. No one will think badly of you." I was reminded of Hazelle's similar words after Gale's death.

"I just wish he was still here." I choked out. "Is that too much to ask?"

"No, it isn't," Cinna replied. "But don't you think he'd want you to enjoy life? That's something he can never do again. Do it for him and for yourself."

Cinna's words hit home. "You have a way with words." I muttered with as big a smile as I could muster.

"That's better," He said softly. "I want to see that smile more often."

In response, I smiled again. "You have some homework to do though." He added in a firm voice.

"Really? I don't want to write an essay about Gale for you." I said warningly.

"No, none of that." Cinna chuckled. "I want you to talk to someone at school."

"Easy enough. My desk partner can't shut up." I didn't realize that was a mistake until it was out of my mouth.

"Who is this desk partner?" Cinna inquired. "And why didn't you tell me about him?"

I sighed in defeat. "His name is Peeta. He's annoying, popular, and talkative."

"That's great." Cinna said with a wide smile. "He's the perfect person to talk to."

"Sure," I answered sarcastically. The couple of times I had managed to talk to him, I had ended up insulting him. And the problem was, he didn't seem to mind. He just laughed it off. He was very outgoing; the very opposite of me.

"No, I'm serious. He'll get your mind off things." Cinna got up from the chair beside me, and returned to his desk.

"Bye." I said quickly, recognizing this as an opportunity to get out of Cinna's office.

"See you next week, and don't forget about your homework!" Cinna responded as I walked out.

_Why can't I just curl up in bed and ignore everyone? Is that seriously too much to ask for?_

* * *

The apartment was silent when I arrived. The first thing I did was check in on Mother. As I'd predicted, she was lying in bed and staring ahead blankly. She didn't even look up or react when I opened the door.

I sighed in frustration. I'd lost Gale, and I was still here! And she was my mother, she had a duty to be there for me and all that crap. My mother had failed me too many times before.

I bottled up my anger and sighed loudly as I walked to the kitchen. I made myself a sandwich, and ate the thing without tasting it. Next, I took my homework out of my bag and sat down at the table. I opened my history book with the full intent of reading the assigned chapter. Five minutes later, I realized that I was rereading the first line over and over.

_The American Revolution was an impactful period where the whole world was transformed. The changes were not only in America but throughout the entire world…_

The words clattered around my head, and they didn't make any sense. I gave up, and shut the book.

Before I knew what I was doing, I was getting up from the table, and leaving the apartment building. I didn't know where I was going, but I knew that I needed to get out of the apartment for a little while.

Before we moved here, Gale and I had gone hunting every week. Even after we found out about the cancer, we still went every Sunday. Gale had said that he wouldn't stop doing what he loved.

I found my footsteps taking me to a new part of town that I had never been to. I wasn't afraid, though. I had a phone in my pocket. I never used it, but if worse came to worse, I could call Mother.

Before long, I found myself in a lush green park. It was very small, but I didn't mind. It didn't need to meet Central Park expectations. I think I actually preferred this to Central Park. No doubt Central Park would be busy, and crowded with people. This quiet place was a perfect place for me to clear my head.

I sat down on a bench, and pulled my knees to my chest. I stayed in my relaxed position, and breathed in the fresh air. Before long, I felt myself calm down, and a surprising smile came to my lips.

"I knew you can smile!" An excited voice exclaimed. I felt the bench sink down as someone heavier than me sat on the other end.

_Oh, no. Please don't let it be Peeta…_

I lifted my head up an inch to see who had come to sit by me. From a side profile, I saw blonde locks, blue eyes, and muscular arms. Yes, it was definitely Peeta.

I groaned out loud, praying that I could drive him away. No such luck, because Peeta continued to chatter on like he hadn't heard me.

"Hi! I didn't know you come here too!" He smiled in my direction. Did this boy ever stop smiling?

I shrugged my shoulders noncommittally as I sat down in a more dignified position. "We just finished football practice." He explained, even though I didn't ask.

Now that he mentioned it, I saw how his blonde hair was wet, and his face was red. Those blue eyes of his were still as shiny as ever, though. He was sitting at the very end of the bench, nearly two feet away from me. I felt relieved that he hadn't sat right next to me. I wasn't ready for that.

"I know, I'm all sweaty," He said ruefully when he noticed my eyes looking over him.

I found myself talking to him, surprisingly. "I don't mind sweaty. I used to be outside all the time."

Peeta looked shocked but happy that I was talking to him. "You're not like most girls I know. If I tried to give Glimmer a hug right now, she would probably break up with me. Not a bad idea, though…" He mused thoughtfully. His blue eyes lit up with the prospect.

_I knew he wasn't shallow enough to date someone like Glimmer! He must be stuck with her, _I reflected. For some reason I couldn't quite place, I was relieved he wasn't dating her by choice.

I just nodded, trying to hide my emotions about him and Glimmer.

"So, what are you doing here?" He asked curiously as he looked at me, eyeing my old sweats and messy hair that was twirled into a messy bun. I felt myself blush, because I could tell that he was thinking I looked terrible.

"I just needed somewhere to think and clear my head." I replied honestly. "Sorry about my appearance." I added quickly.

Peeta nodded knowledgeably. "I know how you feel. And I like your appearance. Laid-back suits you." He smiled shyly at me, and I felt my own lips curve into a small smile.

_The effect this boy has on me is insane. I've only known him for a week, and he still manages to get me to talk to him! _

I found that outside of the walls of the classroom, I could connect with him much better. And I was enjoying talking to him, surprisingly. "Why do you stay here?"

"I like to draw what I see here," He replied, gesturing at the trees. "Running home to my crazy family is too much after a long day."

"Do you have siblings?" I was an only child, but I'd always wanted a sister.

"Yes, two. I have an older brother named Rye, and a younger sister named Prim." He replied. When he said Prim's name, I noticed how he smiled slightly.

I smiled as I pictured a small version of Peeta. She was probably every bit as friendly as he was. I could just imagine a small girl with blonde hair and blue eyes like Peeta. I found that I had a surprisingly strong urge to meet her.

Not for the first time, I wondered why this popular boy who had it all even bothered to talk to me. I was so sullen, that I couldn't understand why he did.

"Why do you talk to me?" I asked in a harsh tone. I hadn't meant for it to come out so harshly, and I winced at my accusing voice.

"I'm sorry if I'm bothering you," He replied in a hurt tone. He grabbed his football helmet, and got off the bench. "Goodbye, Katniss. See you tomorrow."

As he walked away, I felt a pang of regret spread through me. Talking to him had been nice, and I was disappointed that he was leaving, because of something I'd said. I had never been good with words. They didn't come out the way I intended them to.

Maybe Cinna was right, I really did need someone to talk to. I resolved that tomorrow, I would start a conversation with Peeta.

* * *

_Yeah, this was a hard chapter to write. It took me a long time. A review would be appreciated, so I know my time hasn't gone to waste. _

_Thank you! _

_-GlitterAttack_


	4. Chapter 3: Peeta

**~Sketching Out Our Love~**

**~Chapter 3~**

_Hi everyone! Thanks for all the motivation and reviews! I can't believe I got so many, and with only three chapters! You guys seriously make my day! Don't forget to leave a review, even if it's just a smiley face. :)_

_**I am looking for a beta! :) If you are interested, please let me know through review or PM. **_

_**-My only requirements are that you have to be really good with grammar and able to proofread and get it back to me in about two days. You also have to be on here quite a bit, and ready to come up with some ideas when I am having writer's block. :)**_

_Buckle up, this is a long one! Enjoy!_

**~Peeta POV~**

I've always been an artist.

My hand was unconsciously drawing, without any permission from my brain. Perhaps I should be doing my history assignment, or lifting weights to get ready for this Friday's game. But I couldn't find the point in doing those things. So, I found myself drawing in my room.

When I first start a picture, I always have no idea what the finished product will look like. My hand works of its own accord, adding a line here, or a blob of color there. The process is relaxing and uplifting.

I paused my hand for a moment, looking at the scene before me. The background was one of a park, with a bench off to the side. On the bench, I had begun to trace out the shape of a girl. My finger instinctively traced the slender body of the girl. Even though it was only half-finished, there was no mistaking her.

_Katniss. Of course I drew Katniss._

I had a way of drawing my innermost thoughts. The feelings that I won't let myself admit have a strange way of appearing on paper without my consent. It's almost as if my hand has a mind of its own.

I stared down at the Katniss I've drawn, drinking in her every feature. I shaded her eyes, drawing the exact shape of her piercing grey eyes. I let her hair cascade freely down her shoulders in soft waves. It occurred to me that I've never seen Katniss with her hair down. Her head was cocked slightly to the side in my drawing, as if she was deep in thought. Her grey eyes were glassy and staring at something far in the distance.

Strangely enough, drawing Katniss made me even more attracted to her. My heart was thumping, and I felt like a small child who had been caught doing something wrong. I felt like drawing Katniss was somehow wrong. I don't think she'd be pleased to find out I draw her. But I was too obsessed with her to care at the moment.

Now that I had let myself admit it, I knew what I felt for Katniss. It was a feeling that was much deeper than anything I'd ever felt for Glimmer. Glimmer had been an infatuation, but my obsession with her had long faded.

I was hopelessly in love with Katniss. I just couldn't stop thinking about her.

"So, who's this, Peeta?" A voice above my head inquired. "Don't tell me you're drawing Glimmer _again_!"

I jumped at the sound of Prim's voice. I had been so deeply engrossed in my drawing that I hadn't even noticed her walk into my room.

I made a last minute attempt to desperately cover the paper with my arm, but Prim snatched it out of my grasp.

"Give it back, Prim. Now." I demanded. She ignored me, and studied the drawing intensely.

"This isn't Glimmer," Prim said softly as she took a seat beside me. She studied the drawing closely, her blue eyes narrowed in concentration.

"No," I agreed softly. "It's definitely not Glimmer."

Over the years, Prim had become my close confident. After Rye had proved to be an insensitive brother, Prim and I had gotten close. I told her everything; she was the best secret-keeper in the world. And what's better, she always understood and had the best advice. In return, she told me everything. We were as close as brother and sister could be.

"Peeta?" Prim pushed gently. "Tell me."

I sighed deeply, and looked Prim right in her sky blue eyes. "Her name is Katniss. She sits next to me in English, and is in a couple more of my classes. She's very quiet and sullen most of the time. But when she smiles, the whole world seems to light up. She has an… effect on me."

"Does she like you too?" Prim asked me eagerly. I could see the way her mind was thinking. She thought we were a romantic and adorable couple-in-the-making, when that couldn't be further from the truth.

"No," I replied honestly. "I feel like she's… lost someone though." I explained. I don't know why, but this idea had stuck in my mind. Katniss acted like she was mourning sometimes.

"What makes you say that?" Prim questioned as she pulled her blonde hair into a messy bun atop her head.

"Well, on the first day of school, she was tracing the initials _GH_," I began. Prim rolled her eyes, but I held my hands up to tell her to let me continue. "And I've been asking her whose initials she was tracing every day. But today, I asked if it was a secret lover, and she started crying."

"You made her cry?" Prim groaned in disappointment. "You are such a turnoff, Peeta!"

"I didn't mean to!" I retorted, getting on the defensive. "She just started tearing up!" Now I was getting annoyed with both Katniss and Prim.

"Yeah, whatever, you're clueless, Peeta," Prim rolled her eyes. "She's obviously broken up with someone very special recently, and you are being so insensitive."

"How am I being insensitive?" I snapped at Prim. Here she is, acting all wise, and she hasn't even met Katniss!

'Stop asking her who she was dating!" Prim yelled back in exasperation.

So, what should I be doing differently then?" I tried to ignore the fact that I was frantic enough to be asking my fifteen year old sister for help.

"Be her friend." Prim responded, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "She needs a friend, someone to lean on."

"How do I do that?" I questioned again. I was hanging onto Prim's every word now. Prim seemed to sense my desperation, because she giggled before replying.

"Get to know her."

"Prim! Peeta! Dinner's ready!" Mom yelled up the stairs. Prim and I both got up simultaneously, and Prim returned the drawing to me.

"She's very beautiful." Prim said softly once she'd handed the drawing back. "It looks like she'll be worth your time."

As always, Prim hit home. How was she so in-tuned to my feelings? It's like she could read my mind.

"You have no idea." I sighed as I followed her down the stairs, my leaden legs protesting. Coach Boggs had made us run three miles at football practice, and I was sore all over.

Mother had made my favorite, lamb stew. The smell of the stew made my stomach rumble in anticipation. The sight of Father and Rye sitting at the table made my appetite fade away in a moment, though.

"Hi, Dad." I muttered as I took a seat beside Rye. "Hey, Rye."

Dad muttered a greeting in response, and returned to his newspaper. Rye didn't even acknowledge my presence. Prim gave me an understanding smile as she set the bowl of salad on the table. Once Mother brought out the lamb stew, though, my appetite returned in full force.

Prim took a seat on my other side, as Mother sat next to Father. The meal was mostly a silent affair. All that could be heard was the clinking of spoons and forks as they scraped the plates.

Mother broke the silence when she couldn't seem to stand the tense quiet any longer. "Rye, how's work going?" She asked with forced cheerfulness.

Rye looked up from his plate, and replied, "Very well, Mother. I'm being appointed to Junior Undersecretary next week." His tone was pompous and stuffy, and I held back the laughter that was threatening to spill out. Besides me, I could feel Prim shaking with repressed laughter as well.

Mother beamed at him. "I'm so proud of you, Rye! Barlee, aren't you proud of him?" Mother turned to my father eagerly.

"Yes, I am. He's got a future ahead of him." Father said gruffly. I could tell that he was just itching to add "_Unlike Peeta" _to the end of that statement.

My father constantly made it known that he liked me the least of his three children. Dad loved Rye because he was his accomplished elder son, following in his footsteps. He -and Mother, for that matter- loved Prim because she was the only girl. Anyways, nobody could hate Prim. She was too lovable. But I was the middle child; no use for anything besides football. I felt like Dad would just disown me if I didn't get a football scholarship for college.

The rest of the meal went in silence. Prim and I helped Mother clean up, and I took the trash out. When I came back inside, I was informed by Prim that Rye had left because he was "busy," and Dad was upstairs in his study. It was typical of them, and I was not surprised.

Prim washed the dishes while I dried them. "He thinks he's all grown-up." She muttered under her breath in an annoyed tone. "Junior Undersecretary, blah, blah, blah…"

I chuckled at her mumbling as I dried the salad bowl. "He'll come out of it, Prim."

"Yeah, whatever, he's even more hopeless than you." She said with a sly smile my way.

"Whatever."

* * *

"Peeta, come on!" Glimmer purred at me like an overgrown cat, dragging me by the arm. She had a surprisingly strong grip.

"Coming, babe, coming," I moaned as I followed Glimmer to our lunch table. Even from this distance, I could see Clove all over Cato, and Marvel eyeing the approaching Glimmer with lust in his eyes.

_You can have her, Marvel, seriously. Just get her away from me. _

"Glimmer, one second, I forgot the ketchup." I yanked my arm out of her vice-like grip with some level of difficulty, and headed back to the lunch line to grab some ketchup.

As I was walking back to where Glimmer was surrounded by her equally stupid friends, I spied a dark haired girl sitting all alone at the end of the cafeteria. In a split second, I made up my mind. Nobody at that table would miss me. Cato and Clove were locked in their own little world, Glimmer was talking with her clique, and Marvel was ogling Glimmer.

_Get to know her. _I remembered Prim's words from the previous afternoon.

I walked across the cafeteria, heading towards the table Katniss sat at all alone. No one minded me as I strode past their tables; everyone was engrossed in their own conversations.

I sat down opposite Katniss casually, like I did this every day, and smiled at her. She just stared at me in surprise, until she got her voice back. "Hi, Peeta." She averted her eyes from me. I didn't miss that they were red and puffy. Nonetheless, I was encouraged.

_Well, at least she didn't make me leave yet. And she even said "hi!" That's a first._

"Hey, Katniss." I replied, smiling easily at her. "Do you mind if I sit here?"

She just shrugged her shoulders. I felt my heart break a little for her. The fiery Katniss I had met on the first day of school was long gone. In her place was a broken, quiet girl. I found that I preferred fiery Katniss to depressed Katniss.

_If I could get my hands on the boy who broke your heart I'd rip him piece to piece. _

She chewed her apple mechanically, and started to get up from the table. Before I knew what I was doing, I was reaching out to her. My hand gripped her wrist firmly, and Katniss jumped at the unexpected contact. Her skin felt good under my hand, surprisingly soft and warm.

"Stay, please." I begged her. Katniss looked at me, and something in her deadened grey eyes shifted. She yanked her arm out of my grasp, and sat back down. I couldn't stop the flicker of disappointment I felt as she pulled away.

"I'm not feeling very well today. Leave me alone." She muttered. She stared down at the table, her head in her hands.

"I can help." I replied without thinking. _Did I seriously say that out loud? Crap!_

"No, you can't. Nobody can." She whispered in a defeated tone. I pushed my burger off to the side, and looked at Katniss. Really looked at her.

Her shiny black hair was matted and dirty. Her olive skin looked pale, and her beautiful grey eyes were bloodshot. She also looked like she had lost quite a bit of weight since the first day I'd seen her.

"Katniss, are you ok?" I asked quietly. Even to me, the concern in my voice was tremendously noticeable.

"Fine." She snapped, some of her old fire returning as she scowled at me. I realized that Katniss was the type of person who would never ask anyone for help, no matter how bad her situation.

_Start simple, Peeta._

"Where did you used to live?"

Katniss just looked at me. After several long seconds, she muttered "I don't want to talk." She moved her hands from her chin to the white lunch table.

I sighed. This little conversation wasn't going the way I'd planned at all.

I'd stormed out on her at the park yesterday, and I suddenly felt bad. Had I hurt her feelings? "I'm sorry about yesterday." I started again. "I didn't mean to be rude, but I was exhausted."

Her grey eyes finally met mine. "It's ok. I wasn't trying to be mean either."

"I know you weren't." I sighed. "How about we just forget yesterday?"

"I need to go the library." She suddenly blurted out. She got up, and I grabbed onto her arm firmly again. She winced, and I realized that I must be cutting her circulation off.

"Sorry. Just wait one second." I reached into my backpack, grabbed a pen, and ripped the top of my Math homework off. In a quick scrawl, I wrote out my phone number, and handed it to Katniss. "Here, have this." I told her.

"Thanks, but I don't need it." She sighed, but took it from me and slipped it in her pocket all the same.

"Just in case." I whispered softly. She turned away from me and walked out of the cafeteria briskly, but I didn't miss the tears that fell down her cheeks.

* * *

"Mellark, put some effort into it!" Coach Boggs yelled at me as I paused for a moment from my training.

"Yes, sir," I gasped out, trying to find my breath. I'd been bench pressing for what seemed like ages, and I felt like I was dying. Cato, beside me, was doing 220 and not even breaking a sweat. He gave me a sidelong glance, and snickered openly as he mouthed, _What, is 200 too heavy?_

I ignored him. I've done more than 220 several times, but I wasn't in the mood today. The image of Katniss's broken hearted face kept invading my mind, distracting me from the trivial matter of football practice.

"Ok, that's enough weights for today." Coach Boggs announced in his booming voice. Boggs was a war veteran, and he was absolutely brutal. The war experience had really rubbed off on him, and he treated us like soldiers. It was horrible to have him as my coach. "Let's go outside and go for a quick run!"

A quick run meant three miles in Coach Bogg's world. I despised running. I'm not built for endurance, but for strength. That's why I was a linebacker, and not a quarterback.

Thirty minutes later, I emerged from the locker room sticky and exhausted. I walked to my old red Chevy pickup, enjoying the cool breeze on my sweaty face. My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I pulled it out eagerly. For some reason, I half expected it to be Katniss. Disappointment rushed through me as I saw my mother's number. I opened her text, and once I'd read it, wished I hadn't.

_Peeta, I need you to close the bakery tonight. Rye is busy with work, and Thresh is too sick to stay longer. I'm sorry._

This day is just getting worse and worse as it goes on.

My parents owned a bakery not far from the park I saw Katniss at yesterday, and I usually spent my Saturdays there if I didn't have football practice. I usually never went into the bakery on a school day, but today, of all days, was the exception, because Rye was too lazy to come over. Thresh, a quiet black teenager who had been abandoned by his parents, was our employee. Thresh was a hard, honest worker, trying to get enough money together to go to college.

I texted Mom back, and said _Ok, I'll go. _Seriously, what choice did I have? Rye wouldn't come in today if my life depended on it.

Her response came back moments later. _Thanks. How was school?_

_Exhausting. _

_**Mom:**__ Ready for tomorrow's game?_

_Yeah, I guess so. _

_**Mom:**__ Good. See you tonight. _

_Bye. _

When I arrived at the bakery five minutes later, I found Thresh sitting on the stool behind the register looking like he was already half-asleep. "Hey, Thresh." I pulled a spare apron on, and tied the back.

"Hi, thank you." Thresh mumbled. Thresh was a person of very little words, and getting a full sentence out of him was difficult at best.

"No problem, Thresh. You look tired." I leaned against the counter, and ran a hand through my sweaty hair.

"You too." Thresh looked up at me, taking in my sweaty and bedraggled state.

"Yeah, football practice does that." I said with a heavy sigh.

"So do girls." He replied, arching an eyebrow at me expectantly.

_Was it that obvious?_

I reached inside the bread display, and pulled out three loaves of bread that I placed in a bag. "Here, take these." I handed the bag of bread to Thresh.

"No, Peeta, I'm fine" Thresh protested. I pushed the bag toward him, but he took it from me all the same. "Thanks." He grunted as he opened the front door and left. I stared at Thresh's retreating form in shock. That was officially the longest, most meaningful conversation I had ever had with him.

I yawned loudly, and slumped forward in my seat. I could already tell that today was a slow day, and I probably wouldn't have very many customers.

_Maybe Katniss will stop by… _No, that's just wishful thinking on my part.

_Fuck you, Rye. I'd like to see you run three miles and lift weights for an hour and then come work at the bakery!_

"Hi, can I have four loaves of bread please?" A soft female voice asked me from the front of the store.

"White or wheat?" I asked politely, the way my mother had taught me years ago.

"Two of each, please." She replied in the same gentle tone. As I was getting the bread she had requested, the woman glanced at the many varieties of cookies we had on display.

"Do you make these cookies?" She asked in an amazed tone. "They are beautiful!"

"Yes, I make the cookies at the bakery." I replied, smiling proudly at her.

"Can I have two of the sugar cookies and two of the chocolate ones?" She requested, pointing at each through the glass. "My daughter Katniss used to love cookies."

I almost sent the whole row of cookies to the floor in my shock. "Katniss Everdeen?"

Katniss's mother looked up at me in surprise. "Do you know her?"

"Yeah, she's in my English class." I replied as I looked at Katniss's mother. She didn't look a thing like Katniss, with her blonde hair, blue eyes, and fair complexion. She was dressed in nurse slacks, and looked to be in her late forties.

I handed her the two bags, one with the cookies, and the other with the bread. "Six dollars please." I requested . Mrs. Everdeen dropped the bills in my hand, and I stuffed them in the register.

"What's your name?" She asked me with a small smile. She looked at me incredulously, like she couldn't believe that anyone at school took notice of Katniss.

"Peeta Mellark. Tell Katniss I said hi." I said through my nerves.

"I sure will. Thanks for the cookies, Peeta." She adjusted her purse on her shoulder, and held the bags of food more tightly.

"Thank you. I hope she likes them."

"I'm sure she'll love them. She hasn't had much to be happy about these past couple of months." Her comment piqued my interest. What had happened to Katniss? I made a mental note to tell Prim about this conversation. Mrs. Everdeen's words were the only things I could think of for the rest of the day.

The rest of the day was very quiet. A couple of customers walked in, but otherwise I had nothing to do but ponder Mrs. Everdeen's words. Thank goodness I didn't have to do any baking today, or I might accidentally burn the bakery up in flames because I was so tired and distracted.

My phone buzzed in my pocket again at around eight, and I pulled it out with a certain amount of annoyance. The only person I could think of who would text me at this time of the day was Glimmer, or Prim. No doubt Prim wanted to know if I had taken her advice and talked to Katniss.

I saw it was none of the above people when I stared at the screen. The number was unfamiliar to me, but it had the New York area code, 212. I opened the message curiously, not daring to even hope it was Katniss.

_Thanks for the cookies. They're delicious. _

I stared at the screen for a solid minute before the words made any sense in my head. I just couldn't believe that _Katniss had texted me. _I couldn't be more excited if I had won a million dollars.

I replied in an instant. _You're welcome. _

It was a full ten minutes before she responded again. I was afraid she didn't want to talk to me, and I felt disappointment and anxiety rush through me for those ten long minutes. When my screen lit up again, I felt my heart skip a beat.

_I ate them all, they were that good. _

Well, the cookies put her in a good mood. Now she wants to have a conversation with me. _It must be the sugar,_ I decided.

_Don't worry, I'll get you some more._

_**Katniss:**__ No, you don't have to do that!_

_Yes, I do, and I will. _

_**Katniss: **__Ok then, bye for now._

I felt my heart sink. Was I so boring that she didn't even want to talk to me?

_Ok, bye. _I was about to hit "send" when I got an idea on the spot. _Will you come to the first football game of the year tomorrow? I've been practicing like crazy._ Then I hit "send" before I could chicken out and erase it.

Her response came back a couple of minutes later. _I'll try to._

I felt an unexplainable happiness rise up inside me. _She said maybe, Peeta. She didn't say she'll come for sure, so calm down! _

But I couldn't stop the giddy feelings rushing through my body. I felt like a kindergartener all over again.

By the time I had closed the door of the bakery for the night, I was grinning like an idiot. All of my previous exhaustion and aches from practice were long forgotten, and I found that I couldn't sit still anymore for the life of me. Instead, I started bouncing around the bakery like a small overly excited child.

Right before I left the bakery, I took a sugar cookie and a peanut butter cookie out of the display. I slipped them in a small white bag, and smiled. I'd give them to Katniss tomorrow at lunch.

* * *

"There are people in the crowds today in charge of the football scholarships," Coach Boggs thundered. "So don't screw up, because they're watching you!"

_No pressure, Peeta. There are complete strangers watching your every move. No pressure at all. _

We started to line up, ready to head out to the field. Cato was at the head of the line, because he was the star quarterback and captain. I was a couple of people behind him, and my nerves were mounting. I always felt slightly nauseous before a football game. The idea of 200 plus pound guys charging at me wasn't the most reassuring of thoughts.

The announcer called our names out as we headed out to the center of the field. I vaguely heard my name over the screams of the crowd "And, number 44, Peeta Mellark, center linebacker!"

As the Pledge of Allegiance came on, I scanned the crowds for Katniss. I saw Glimmer easily, wearing one of my old jerseys, and holding a sign that said _I love Peeta!_

_Seriously? I'm going to have to do something about that Monday. That's so disgusting…. _

Before I could attempt to find Katniss, I was being shoved into position. For the first half hour, we were on the offense, so there wasn't much for me to do but run around a bit. Independence wasn't the strongest of teams; they had been on the offense all game.

I used the opportunity to try to find Katniss's familiar black hair in the stadium. I guess I must have zoned out of the game for longer than I thought, because the right linebacker, Brutus, was yelling at me.

"Peeta! What are you doing?" Brutus, the right linebacker, shouted at me. "Stop looking at Glimmer!"

I wanted to protest, and tell him I wasn't staring at Glimmer. Instead, I said, "Sorry, I got distracted."

"Yeah, I have to tell Glimmer no more posters." Brutus muttered. "But she's so dumb that I don't know if she'll understand."

I wanted to laugh, but I managed to restrain myself. "No posters would be great." I replied instead.

Brutus ignored me, his focus back on the game. We were doing well, two touchdowns already, courtesy of Cato. He'd get that scholarship for sure.

My eyes drifted to the stands again. I saw the profile of a girl holding a soda cup climb up the steps, and sit in an empty row all by herself. She had dark hair that had been pulled into a ponytail, and smooth olive skin. I felt a jolt of excitement race through me. Katniss had come!

Her grey eyes met mine, and I gave her a tentative smile. Even from this distance, I saw her smile back and wave. That was the second time I'd seen Katniss smile today. The first time had been at lunch, when I handed her the cookies. Giddy excitement rushed through me and I suddenly felt light-headed. If looking at Katniss had such an effect on me, what would kissing her do to me?

"PEETA! Watch out!" I snapped out of my daydream at Brutus's frantic warning. I just saw a huge Independence player clad in red rush at me. Before I could so much as move as move a muscle, he crashed into me and we both tumbled to the ground.

I lay there, trying to remember how to breathe. "Peeta, are you ok?" Brutus came and knelt at my side, looking down at me in concern.

I nodded my head, and became aware of a throbbing pain rushing through my ankle and up my leg. It was agonizing, and it was all I could do to not moan out loud.

"Peeta, talk to me." Coach Boggs appeared at my other side.

"My ankle." I gasped out. "The left one."

Coach tried to take my shoe off, but I protested. "Stop…"

"Peeta, what the hell were you doing anyways? How did you not see him?" Brutus asked.

"I wasn't looking at him." I said truthfully. I omitted the part about looking at Katniss instead.

Once Coach Boggs managed to get my shoe and socks off, he probed at my ankle lightly. "It's just a sprain, Peeta." He announced in a relieved tone.

"Great." I muttered. I chanced a look up at Katniss. She was staring down at me in horror, but I smiled weakly up at her. She just shook her head, and turned away from me.

I hobbled off the field, and sat down on a bench as Coach pressed some ice to my ankle. "You'll be fine." He said gruffly. "I'm more concerned about the scholarship."

_Oh, crap, I forgot about that. Dad will be furious if I don't get that scholarship._

"Sorry, Coach." I sighed as the ice effectively numbed the pain away.

I spent the rest of the game in a haze of pain. When Cato had finally scored the last touchdown, and the whistle blew, I sighed in relief. The final score was 49 for us, 14 for Independence. We had won by a landslide. If it weren't for me, it would've been a perfect game for us too. I'm sure Cato will give me hell on Monday for messing up his perfect game.

A head of blonde hair came crashing into me. Prim buried her head in my chest, and babbled on incoherently about how worried she had been about me. It took a solid five minutes to get a full sentence out of her.

"It's ok, Prim, it's just my ankle." I soothed her gently. Prim was the most compassionate person in the world. She couldn't even stand to see a bug get hurt.

"Peeta, I called Mom." Prim finally managed. "Are you ok? That was a bad hit!"

"I'm fine, Prim." I sighed. "Why did you call Mom?"

"I don't think you can drive, Peeta!" She scanned my face anxiously. "You look drunk!"

"Feel like it too." I muttered under my breath. Prim didn't hear me, thankfully.

Coach wrapped my ankle in a brace. "Can you walk?" Prim asked me worriedly .

"Yeah." I got to my feet, and hobbled painfully with Prim's help to the parking lot. Mother pulled in right as we reached the pick-up zone, and I got in the car thankfully. My ankle now felt like it was on fire. "Peeta, are you alright?" She asked once I'd gotten in.

Dad wasn't in the car, to my great relief. I dint want him finding out about this yet. He'd blow up on me.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I replied with a sigh. "I'm fine" had become my phrase of the night.

I just rolled my eyes, and dropped my phone in my lap. My mother obsessed over me endlessly, and insisted that we stop at the Urgent Care. We ended up sitting in the waiting room for an hour before my name was called.

My phone buzzed. I hoped it was Katniss, but when I opened it I saw Glimmer's number.

_Peeta, r u ok, I was so worried!_

I sighed as I hit the respond button. I decided to keep it short, and make an excuse to not text her. _Fine, Glim. I'm at Urgent Care, text you when I get home. _

Her response was instantaneous. _I'll be waiting, don't forget!_

_Yeah, whatever. I'll just tell her the Urgent Care gave me too much drugs and knocked me out._

"Peeta Mellark!" A nurse with a kind, heart-shaped face called out.

I got to my feet, and limped into the room after Mother and Prim. She had insisted on accompanying me inside, and Prim hated to be left out of anything.

The nurse examined my ankle closely. "It seems to be a light sprain, but I'll have the doctor come take a look just in case." She left the room, saying the doctor would be there in a couple of minutes.

My phone buzzed yet again as we sat waiting for the doctor. If it wasn't Katniss, then I wouldn't respond. I pulled it out, and read the text.

_**Katniss: **__Are you ok?_

_I'm fine, really. Don't worry._

_**Katniss: **__You were limping on the field._

_Just a sprain. I'll be fine by Monday._

She stopped texting me after that, but I felt strangely satisfied with her texts. Katniss _cared_ about me. If a sprained ankle got this kind of response out of her every time, I'd sprain my ankle every day.

Maybe there was a real chance for us. And maybe, just maybe, Katniss felt something for me too.

* * *

_I don't know much about American football, so forgive me for my bad description of the game. But if you think about it, it wasn't about the game so much as the consequences._

_Don't forget to review! I really want to know what you all were thinking. I know people are reading this; I see the stats. Just give me thirty seconds; I spend a lot of effort writing. We were just shy of 100 reviews with the last chapter. :)_


	5. Chapter 4: Katniss

**~Sketching Out Our Love~**

**~Chapter 4~**

_Hello everyone! Thanks so much for the overwhelming response for the previous chapters! You guys are all so amazing, I can't thank you enough! _

_**Firstly, a HUGE thank you to my new Beta, Milanpia! She fixed all my insane mistakes in here!**_

_*Also, an anonymous reviewer said they were confused about Thresh last chapter. Basically, Thresh works at the Mellark's bakery. I know that he has a grandmother and sister in the series, but I don't really want to use them in my story. So, he was abandoned by his parents (since we never hear about his parents in the series), and is now working with the Mellark's and trying to get enough money to go to college. He's about 18 or 19 here, and I've always imagined him to be very quiet. Hope that helps! _

_Now, on to the chapter! Enjoy!_

**~Katniss POV~**

"Whoops! Sorry, my bad!" My right shoulder crashed into the door of my metal locker painfully, and I staggered a bit. I looked up to see what ignorant person had crashed me into my own locker, and found myself face to face with a stunning blonde girl.

I knew this girl from somewhere, but I couldn't quite place her. She had silky blonde locks, bright green eyes, and a heart-shaped face. She was by far one of the most beautiful girls I had ever seen, and she seemed to know it. She gave off an unmistakable aura of self-assurance and narcissism. Her cat-like eyes narrowed to mere slits as she scrutinized me thoroughly. I tried to pretend that her searching eyes didn't bother me, but in truth, I felt very self-conscious.

The girl smirked loudly, obviously finding nothing special about my appearance. Whereas I was thin, she was curvy and toned. Her dark blue jeans fit her like a glove, showing off her hourglass figure. Her next words confirmed my suspicions.

"There's nothing special about you." Her voice was as smooth as honey, and as she spoke, I suddenly remembered who she was, and I made a note to ignore her and not say a word to her. _Glimmer._ An insanely strong hatred for her rose up inside of me, though I didn't know why I hated her so much.

I snapped my locker shut, and gave Glimmer one of my signature scowls. A lesser person might have flinched, but Glimmer wasn't that easily deterred. I guess her lacking intelligence was made up for in her sheer willpower. "Oh no, I'm not done yet." Glimmer sneered. She moved in front of me casually, as if to cut me off. I reflected on breaking her perfectly shaped nose in half with a well-aimed blow.

"Well, I'm done." I snapped, forgetting my resolve to be silent.

"Look, stay away from Peeta." She snarled, her face mere inches from mine now. "Stay away from him, or I will make you pay."

I didn't for one second doubt her words. "It's not like that." I told her coldly. How do I explain to her I'm not trying to steal her boyfriend?

_Or am I subconsciously trying to do that?_

_No, I'm not, that's just stupid. _I countered a split second later.

"Don't lie to me." Glimmer twirled one of her blonde locks on her pinky finger. "I've seen you guys at the football game, at lunch the other day, and then all the times in class."

"Whatever." I rolled my eyes, refusing to give her the satisfaction of knowing she was dead-on. _Peeta did sit with me at lunch, and we do talk in class. And it's completely my fault he sprained his ankle at the game! But I don't like him!_

"I'm not going to steal your boyfriend." I snarled, but she still looked unconvinced.

"You better not, or you won't know what will hit you." And without even giving me a chance to respond, Glimmer turned on her heel gracefully, and flounced off. I glared at her retreating form for a second, and turned back to my locker.

I swallowed uneasily as I walked to English. I knew Glimmer would make good on her words. She might be dumb, but she has the jealousy thing pinned down perfectly.

I could think of only one thing to do that might appease the situation.

I have to persuade Peeta to never break up with her, that way she won't have any reason to get mad at anyone.

And I decided to start that very day in English.

I was relieved to see Peeta walking into English that morning. I was afraid his injury was worse than he'd let on, but he looked fine. His limp was barely noticeable, and he looked as cheerful as ever. When I saw him and Glimmer holding hands, my heart lurched a little bit.

_No, Katniss, what are you thinking? Heart lurching? Stop it, you can't and you don't have any feelings for him! He's just a classmate! _

Then why did it feel like I was lying to myself?

Glimmer gave Peeta one last lingering kiss before McCrane walked in. He hobbled over to his seat by me, and gave me a hundred watt smile when he saw me watching him.

"Hi, Katniss!" He greeted me brightly. Peeta was usually a happy person, but he seemed to be happier than usual today. I decided to leave the Glimmer conversation until the end of class, because I couldn't bear to ruin his mood.

"Hey, Peeta." I gave him a brief smile, more to keep him happy than anything else. "How's your foot?"

"Fine." He replied easily. "I've had worse."

"It was my fault." I stated. There was no question about it. He'd been staring right at me when he'd been hit. I knew Peeta would try to deny it, but I wouldn't believe him.

Sure enough, he responded with "It wasn't your fault!" Peeta was very easy to predict in these ways.

"I'm sorry." I blurted out the words without thinking about what I was saying. I never apologized to people. I don't ever recall saying sorry to anyone before, not even Gale. And I had a lot to apologize for when it came to Gale. But it was too late now.

Peeta's smile softened as he replied "It's fine. I'd rather talk to you than play football."

My cheeks turned rosy, and I felt a warm, fuzzy feeling rise up inside me. Then I realized what was happening to me, and I turned away from Peeta coolly. I didn't talk to him or look in his direction during the whole period, and he kept quiet. I felt a tiny prick of guilt for wiping the smile off his face.

At the end of class, I turned back to Peeta, and forced myself to say these next words. "How long have you and Glimmer been together?"

He looked surprised, and a little hurt. I didn't blame him, because I'd been terrible to him so far. Still, he answered, "Two years in October."

I nodded, and tried to hide my inner feelings. I'd deal with the heartbreak, or whatever it was I was feeling, later, when no one can see me. "Good, and make sure it stays that way."

"What do you mean?" He asked curiously, his blue eyes fixed on my face.

I forced myself not to drown in his gaze and keep my voice steady. "Don't break up with her."

His face remained composed, but I saw a flicker of disappointment in his eyes. He replied "That's my choice, not yours."

"Fine." I snapped back. "I'm just trying to help you!"

"Katniss, stop." Peeta sighed and ran a hand through his tousled blonde hair. "Sometimes, I think you care about me, and the next you ignore me and try your hardest to hurt me."

I stared at Peeta nervously. "I… I… I'm not trying to hurt you!" I took a deep breath, and tried to compose myself.

"Well, you're doing an excellent job at it." Peeta got up from his seat abruptly as the bell rang. He headed to Glimmer's desk at the front of the room, and put a hand around her waist. They walked out laughing and looking like a perfectly cozy couple.

I had tried my hardest to stop the tears, but I couldn't control the salty trail cascading down my face. I prided myself on never crying, but I wasn't in control of my feelings. When it came to Peeta, I just wasn't sure what I felt for him.

I had told myself time and time again that I didn't care about Peeta. If he never talked to me, I would've been fine. Sadly, the truth was that Peeta made me feel complete again. I could forget about Gale, and all the horrors I'd been through if he was around me.

_Gale._ What would he think if he saw me opening up my heart to another man two months after his death? The thought of him just made me feel worse. The wound was still raw, and I was rubbing salt into it.

I staggered through the hallway and headed for second period. I leaned against a wall, the thought of going to class put off for the moment. I decided to head to the bathroom for a couple minutes. It would probably be empty because everyone else was heading to class.

I pushed the bathroom door open and staggered in. It was, as I'd hoped, empty. I stared at my blotchy, teary appearance, and sunk down to lean on the wall ungracefully. When I felt somewhat more composed, I headed out of the bathroom and down the hallway.

I walked into second period three minutes late, but nobody seemed to care at all. I just took a seat, and stared off into the distance without really seeing anything.

Images of Gale clouded my mind painfully. The sound of his laugh, deep and throaty, surrounded me. If I closed my eyes, I could imagine the pair of us sitting on the beach, holding hands and laughing. The image was so tangible that when I opened my eyes and saw the cold white walls of the classroom, I almost had another breakdown.

_How did I forget you so easily, Gale? You were the only person, besides my father, that I've ever trusted. I let you go so easily, and I'm thinking about another person already! I am so selfish and cruel. _

I vowed to never talk to Peeta ever again. Peeta, with all his sentimentality and affability, was dangerous. He was ruining my thoughts of Gale. The further I stayed away from him, the better for everyone.

I belonged to Gale, and he belonged to me. How did I let his death cloud that simple fact? There wasn't another man for me. I'd accepted that since the day of his death. Not Peeta, and certainly not anyone else, would ever be able to replace Gale.

I focused on my breathing, like Cinna had taught me. _In, and out. In, and out. _The repetitive action gave me something to focus on besides the droning lecture going on at the front of the room. It was calming, and eventually, my raging thoughts quieted down.

The bell rang for break, and I jumped in surprise. Had I really been in here for fifty minutes? I hadn't heard a single word of the lecture or taken any notes. I was shocked, but also relieved. I needed a small break from class, and now my head wasn't clouded with thoughts of Peeta and Gale.

I headed to my locker, to take my stuff out and replace them with what I needed for the next two classes. No one talked to me, or even glanced my way. There were many benefits to being the unpopular new kid. The one that I was reveling in the most was that no one ever talked to me.

"Katniss?" I turned around sharply at the voice, trying to wipe away my lingering tears inconspicuously.

"You should be in class." I whispered. I abandoned the quest of wiping away my tears. One of his hands, soft and warm, came up to my cheek and wiped a single tear away. I froze up at his touch, as if I was expecting a blow. He didn't miss my tenseness, but chose not to comment on it.

"We still have twenty minutes of break." He sighed instead as he took in my teary appearance.

"Then you should be with Glimmer!" I snapped, desperately wanting him to leave me alone.

"I don't want to be with her. I've honestly had it with her." Peeta gave me a small tug on my elbow, and I jerked away sharply at his touch. A small part of me secretly craved his touch, but I would never let him know that.

"I know somewhere we can sit and not be bothered." He responded, ignoring my weak attempts at protest.

"No, I'm not going anywhere with you!" I retorted. I gave him the best glare I could muster through my tears.

Peeta gazed at me with some degree of amusement. "What am I going to do with you?" He shook his head, and gave me his signature Peeta smile. I felt my heart beat painfully against my ribcage.

_No, stop, what is wrong with you? Remember Gale! _

Peeta moved towards me, and before I knew what was happening, I was wrapped in his arms. His strong arms were steady on my back, and his head rested securely above mine. I couldn't help but lean into his steady embrace. He noticed this, of course, and I felt him chuckle into my hair. He suddenly let go of me, as if he just realized what he had done. "You need more hugs." He said into my hair with a grin. "I have a feeling you don't get too many of them."

_Was he seriously trying to flirt with me? _

Once he'd let go, the spell was broken. "What the hell was that for?" I screamed so loudly that several passing students turned around. I glared at all of them until they went back to their business.

He looked at me sheepishly, and I noticed that his face had gone cheery red. "I thought… it just seemed like the natural thing to do… for the moment."

"Yeah, well you thought wrong." I retorted caustically. I kept my silence as I followed him outside, and tried to pretend that I hadn't enjoyed that hug. I hope he didn't know that I was secretly starting to surrender to him and his charm.

"Peeta?" I asked quietly as we walked outside. I couldn't resist, the silence had gotten way too awkward, and I had to somehow break it. "Are you going to get in trouble for this?"

I could care less about what would happen to me, but Peeta didn't deserve to get in trouble. Not after putting up with me. "Why would I?" He asked in a somewhat guarded tone.

"Well…Glimmer seems like the jealous type." I responded truthfully.

"Stop worrying about her." Peeta gave me a heartwarming smile that made my brain freeze for a moment.

A small voice inside my head snickered at my foolishness. _You just can't stop liking him, can you, Katniss?_

_I don't like him! _I argued. I felt like I was fighting a losing battle, though.

"Ok." I replied, snapping out of the imaginary battle in my brain. I stared up at him, taking in his handsome features. I noticed things about him that I hadn't before. Like how his blonde eyelashes were so long that I was amazed they didn't get all tangled up, or the expanse of the light, or how dark of a blue his eyes really were. He was so different from Gale, but equally, if not more, good-looking.

As hard as I tried to stop these thoughts of Peeta, I just couldn't. But whatever my feelings were, I knew that I needed to stop them. The problem was that I don't think I can stop them.

He led me to a small rickety bench surrounded by large green trees. For a moment, I remembered the woods where Gale and I used to go hunting.

There was no one in sight, because most of the students stuck to the courtyard or stayed in the school building. I sat as far as I possibly could from him on the bench, and stared at my folded hands in my lap.

"Katniss?" Peeta asked softly, as he scooted closer to me on the bench. His hand reached up to cup my chin, and forced me to look at him. I closed my eyes, though, refusing to let him know how his gentle touch had sent a wave of electricity through my whole body. "Katniss." Peeta repeated. "Look at me, please."

I forced myself to open my eyes and keep my expression as stoic as possible. His sapphire blue eyes were staring right into my own, mere inches away from my face. I tried to pretend that the proximity of his body didn't affect me, but that was far away from the truth.

"I barely know anything about you." Peeta whispered almost reverently.

"My favorite color is green." I randomly blurted out. It was the least personal thing I could think of telling him.

"Green?" His eyes stared at me thoughtfully.

"Like the trees in the forest." I elaborated.

"Yes, that suits you," Peeta stared off into the distance for a moment, as if he was envisioning the color I had described. "Mine is orange." He added after a few seconds.

It was my turn to be confused. "Like a pumpkin?" I asked with a small laugh. Peeta was the only person who could get a laugh out of when I felt this chaotic.

"No, not like a pumpkin!" He replied amusedly. "A softer, more muted orange, like a sunset."

I pictured the color he was describing. I remembered all the sunsets I had watched from the beach with Gale, and I saw the orange of the sunset perfectly. The color matched Peeta perfectly. It was full of light, just like him. "It fits you so perfectly." I whispered. "Have you ever seen a sunset from the beach?"

"No, but I wish I could." He replied wistfully. "I'd take my sketchpad with me so I could draw it."

"Do you draw?" I asked curiously. Now that he was talking, I realized how little I knew about Peeta. And I found to my dread that I wanted to learn as much as I could about him.

"Yes, I love to draw. It's so peaceful." He replied with a small smile. I knew there was more to it, but I didn't probe. He wasn't bothering me with questions, after all.

"Can I see, please?" I asked without thinking. "I mean, if you don't mind." I added hastily with a small degree of chagrin.

"No, of course I don't." He reached into his backpack, and pulled out a sheet of loose paper. It was all folded up, but he hastily unopened it and handed it to me.

I took the paper from him with shaky fingers, and stared down at it hesitantly. I couldn't help but gasp as I looked down at the paper. The longer I stared at it, the more beautiful it became. Peeta's attention to detail was remarkable. Every detail of the sunset was etched in perfectly, and the light bounced off the waves he had drawn. It almost looked like a real black and white picture. "Do you like it?" He asked me nervously.

"Like it?" I asked hoarsely. "I love it. Are you sure you've never seen a sunset on the beach?"

He laughed, and leaned into me more. I found that I didn't mind one bit, even though the sane part of my mind was begging me to leave right now. "Do you really like it?" He asked hopefully.

"Yes." I replied, putting as much sincerity as I could into the syllable.

"Then you can keep it." He replied with obvious pride. I knew Peeta wouldn't say it outright, but he was obviously pleased that I'd liked the drawing.

"Are you sure?" I asked, clinging to the paper tightly. It felt like such a personal gift, and I couldn't believe he would give it to me.

"Positive." He replied. "I'll draw more for you."

"Thank you." I replied, my throat closing up painfully. It's been so long since anyone has ever given me a gift, and one as personal as this one at that.

The bell rang piercingly, shattering the moment. I leaped up from the bench, suddenly brought back to reality. I had said way too much to him. I made to walk away from him quickly like the coward I was, but he caught me securely from behind, and I found myself in his arms for the second time that day.

"Let go." I said harshly. He immediately let go of me, and I felt so bad when I turned around and saw the crushed expression on his face. _You just can't stop hurting his feelings, can you Katniss?_

"Sorry." I apologized. "That was mean."

He gave me a crooked smile, and I felt my heart stop for a moment. "It was. It's about time you admit it too."

"Whatever." I replied innocently.

"Will you sit with me at lunch today?" He asked hopefully as we began to walk back to the school building.

I really didn't want to sit next to anyone at lunch, but I didn't want to hurt Peeta's feelings either. I swallowed uneasily, but ended up saying, "Sure, I'll sit at your table."

His eyes lit up like the sun, and I marveled at his happiness at such a seemingly simple thing. "Thank you!" He replied excitedly.

He stopped in front of his classroom, and looked at me like he really didn't want me to leave. "Bye, Katniss." He said with a wide smile.

"Bye, Peeta." I answered with a small smile of my own. I marveled at how the simplest things seemed to make him happy. "I'll see you at lunch."

I walked away with a small spring in my step. When I saw my reflection in one of the classroom doors, I realized with horror that I looked exactly like a high school girl in love.

Peeta had made me fall for him in less than two weeks, and it took me two years to open up to Gale!

_No, this is so not happening! Please tell me this is not happening! I can't like him!_

* * *

"Katniss, this is Annie." Peeta introduced me to Annie excitedly that day at lunch. "Annie, this is Katniss."

"Hi, Katniss." Annie smiled up at me reassuringly. She was very pretty, with wavy light brown hair that fell down to the small of her back and soft green eyes. They weren't a thing like the piercing green of Glimmer's eyes, and I found myself liking her immediately.

I sat down next to her hesitantly, but she didn't bombard me with questions or attempt to start gossiping with me, like most girls I've known over the years.

Peeta, who was sitting across from me, shuffled around in his backpack for a moment, before pulling out a white paper bag and handing it to me. "What's this?" I asked him curiously.

"Open it." He grinned at me, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes at him. He was so childish at times.

I found two cookies wrapped in the bag, and I felt warmed by his kindness. He gave me so much while I kept pushing him away. I immediately bit into the first cookie, a double chocolate one, and moaned in satisfaction as the gooey chocolaty goodness exploded in my mouth. I looked up at Peeta, and found him smiling widely at me.

"Thank you." I said once I had swallowed my extra big bite.

"You're welcome." Peeta replied. He gave me a shy smile with just the right amount of sweetness that I had no choice but to smile back at him. His happiness was so infectious. When Annie turned away for a moment, he looked at me, and mouthed, _Look, I told you you'd be fine!_

_Whatever, Mr. Know-It-All. _I mouthed back at him. He feigned indignation, and I couldn't help but laugh at his acting skills.

"Peeta!" I immediately recognized Glimmer's silky voice, and my heart sank a little. She waltzed over to where Annie, Peeta, and I were sitting, and yanked Peeta away by the arm. He looked back at me with a mix of disappointment and dread, and mouthed _Sorry. _

The discontent at Peeta's leaving must have shown on my face. Annie smiled and asked, "Do you know Peeta?"

I considered not answering, but Annie didn't seem like the type who would make fun of me. "Yeah, we've talked."

"Just talked?" She asked with a grin. I suddenly remembered how good it felt to have a friend who I could confide in. The last person I've known who made me feel this comfortable was Madge. Unfortunately, I had left California without even saying goodbye to her.

Suddenly, I found myself telling Annie everything. I told her about how Gale and I have been best friends since I was two weeks old, and how our friendship eventually turned into something much more. I explained to her how we would hunt together, and that he was the only person who has ever understood me. When I told her that he was diagnosed with cancer, she reached for my hand in a comforting gesture. I didn't want her to let go, and she didn't. She didn't say anything when I told her about Gale's death, and I appreciated it.

When I finally got to the part about Peeta, and told her about how Glimmer had threatened me, she made a sound of dislike. "What?" I paused with my sob story for a moment and asked her curiously.

"Nobody likes Glimmer." She replied with a small gleam in her eyes. "Most of us have been waiting for her and Peeta to break up since day one."

That's news to me. I had thought Glimmer was popular and well-liked, so this came as a surprise. "Why does no one like her?" I wondered out loud.

"Because she is the dumbest person ever, and is also obsessed with herself. Not a good mix." Annie explained.

I sat quietly for a couple minutes, digesting all this information. A part of me still couldn't believe that I had told Annie all of this, but I knew that it was the right thing. "Don't tell anyone, Annie." I begged her. "Especially not Peeta."

"You know I won't, Katniss." Annie smiled that reassuring smile of hers. "But I know that soon enough, you and Peeta will be together. You just need some time to move on from Gale."

"So, if I like Peeta, I'm not betraying Gale?" I asked her, desperately looking for her confirmation.

"You do like him then?" Annie asked excitedly.

"No! I mean, a little, maybe. It's just a crush." I blushed scarlet, but Annie didn't probe any further.

"You aren't betraying him." She added after a couple minutes, as if she'd just remembered my first question. "He'd want you to move on."

I looked around the table for the first time. Glimmer was having a whispered conversation with a dark-haired girl who I think was Cato's girlfriend, and Peeta was talking to a brown-haired boy who I knew was named Marvel. "Who's that girl talking to Glimmer?" I asked Annie curiously.

"Oh, she's Clove." Annie explained. "She's going out with Cato." Annie didn't elaborate any further, but I knew from her voice that there was more to Clove.

Glimmer turned to suddenly look me in the eye, and turned back to Clove hastily. They whispered some more for a couple seconds, no doubt about me, and then Clove turned to face me. I looked back at her, refusing to let her know I was intimidated, but I was secretly very scared of Clove. She looked like the type of girl who could throw a knife and hit me dead-on.

"Glimmer and Clove really have it in for you." Annie whispered, not missing the staring contest that just transpired.

"Yeah, you can say that." I replied in a feeble tone.

"Don't worry, Katniss." Annie said reassuringly. "It will work out, eventually."

_Eventually being the key word, Annie. _I thought despairingly.

* * *

I was chasing after Gale in a bright meadow filled with beautiful flowers. He looked strong and healthy, like the Gale I remembered before the cancer struck. I ran as fast as I could, but I couldn't catch up with him. His legs were longer, and his strides much bigger than my own. "Gale!" I screamed as loud as I could. "Wait for me!"

But Gale didn't respond, either he didn't hear me or he was taunting me, I couldn't tell which. For some reason, I was unsure of this Meadow, and knew it held a danger to Gale. I ran desperately, trying to catch up and warn him. But it was no use.

With every step I took, the Meadow got darker and darker, until I was in the middle of a dark, intimidating forest. I didn't stop running though, because Gale was just a couple paces in front of me now.

I suddenly tripped over something on the ground. I had been so caught up with catching up to Gale that I hadn't noticed anything on the ground. I got to my feet heavily, knowing that I can't catch up to Gale anymore, it was futile.

I stared down at what I'd tripped on, and started screaming. I'd tripped on Peeta, lying sprawled out on the ground. I looked up, and saw that Gale had disappeared into the darkness. I crouched down beside Peeta, urgently looking for a pulse, trying to shake him awake. Deep down, I knew it was futile, but I had to try.

"Katniss." A deep voice from behind me called my name.

I whipped around at the sound of my name, and found myself face to face with Gale. "Gale, you're ok!"

"Katniss, you abandoned me, for him." Gale shook his head in disappointment. "I thought you loved me."

"I'm sorry Gale!" I screamed through my tears. I leaped up from Peeta's side, and ran to Gale's arms, but he disappeared once I got close. I screamed his name over and over, begging him to come back, but of course he didn't.

When I turned back to Peeta, I saw that he was gone too. I started screaming for both Gale and Peeta, but no one answered my screams.

I awoke shaking and covered in my own sweat. My throat felt hoarse, so I knew that the screams from my nightmare had been real. I lay in bed, shaking and crying, not even trying to get a grip on myself. I had fallen asleep in my jeans and shirt from school, so I hastily ripped my jeans off and looked for a pair of shorts.

A piece of folded up paper fell out of my jeans and into my lap. I opened it with shaking fingers, and stared down at the drawing of the sunset Peeta had given me earlier. I stared down at the picture for several minutes, before flinging it away from me.

The message of my dream was very obvious. If I kept dwelling on Gale, I would lose Peeta too. Sometimes, I didn't know if losing Peeta was a good thing or a bad thing. I got up from the bed, and picked up the drawing I'd flung aside.

I clutched the paper in my hand, being careful not to tear or crumble it. I slipped under the blankets again, and brought my knees to my chin. I felt safer this way; whenever I had a nightmare I slept in this curled-up fetal position.

I flung Peeta's picture of the sunset to the floor again, overcome with so much confusion about our relationship, for lack of a better word. I didn't want to have anything to do with him, but I couldn't seem to help myself. From now on, I resolved to not talk to him. For real this time, no excuses. As I fell asleep, my semiconscious brain could only form one coherent thought.

_I will not fall for Peeta Mellark._

* * *

_Haha, she's trying to deny it! Not going to work, Katniss… :) _

_Thanks for reading, everyone, and please leave a review so I know what you are thinking! Keep reviewing, reviews are like little pockets of energy to me. :)_

_**Next chapter**__: Peeta's POV, and a lot of action in the form of Glimmer. _

_Until next Sunday, bye! 3_


	6. Chapter 5: Peeta

**~Sketching**** Out Our Love~**

**~Chapter 5~**

Hello everyone! I have some important news today! I am changing my update day from Sunday to Friday from now on! It's easier for me, because then I have Saturday and Sunday to write. I hope this works with everyone!

I know some of you got an alert earlier this week saying "Chapter 6" was up. I apologize for the mistake, there was no chapter 6. I know I confused a lot of you guys! :(

**Also, a huge thank you to my two wonderful betas, Milanpia and Choclate Lover! They did an amazing job with this chapter!**

Without any further ado, chapter 5! You guys have been anxious for this to happen! Now, before I give it away…

Enjoy!

***Peeta POV***

Her mood shifted by the minutes. She let me in with one breath and pushed me out again in the next. But no matter how badly she hurt me, I just couldn't stay away from her. I always ended up back at her side, trying to break through her emotional walls.

But when she smiled, everything was ok for a moment. That's why I'm trying so hard to make this work. I desperately wanted to make her smile. But she was so cold and distant that it seemed like an impossible fantasy at times.

But that didn't mean I wasn't going to try. She had told me that her favorite color was green, so the artistic part of my brain had gotten an idea. Actually, it's like my brain can never stop thinking about her. I remembered everything about her; every word she's ever said to me. I could just pray that she would like the painting.

For hours, I had stared at different hues of green. I had experimented with mixing several of my colors together, until I found what I thought was the perfect shade of green. I wanted to create something that Katniss could relate to. Maybe, if I showed her something she was familiar with, she would finally open up to me.

Midway through my painting, my phone buzzed annoyingly. I didn't bother to get it, because it was on my desk. Even though it was only a mere three feet away, I was too preoccupied with my painting-in-progress to leave it for even a single moment.

I had drawn a backdrop of dark green trees and a clear blue sky. In the center of the painting was a meadow of light green grass and dandelions. A stream bubbled merrily off to the side. So far, I considered it one of the best things I have ever painted.

Soon enough, I entered the world where nothing could interrupt me as I painted. When I zoned out like this, the only thing that mattered was the picture. The whole world was contained in me and my my work.

When my phone buzzed again, I cussed loudly. I had been so preoccupied that the noise had startled me out of my reverie. My brush had veered off, and now there was a very obvious streak of yellow in my grass. I was so angry at whoever had ruined my nearly perfect painting. I ignored the phone yet again, and painted the yellow streak into a dandelion.

When the doorbell rang about ten minutes later, I didn't think much of it. I continued on painting, very pleased with how this was turning out. I would definitely be able to give this to Katniss tomorrow. I wondered what she would say when she saw this.

The door to my room opened, and Mom poked her head in. "Peeta, dear, you've got a guest." She said, smiling widely at me.

"Oh…" I replied unenthusiastically, not even bothering to look up from my painting. "Who is it?"

"Your girlfriend." She smiled at me again.

"Katniss?" I asked without thinking. When Mom had said girlfriend, the first person that popped into my mind was Katniss. I chided myself for blurting that out, and I felt my ears heat up and go red.

"Umm…no." She replied uneasily. She shot me a look that clearly says _We are having a talk later._

I sighed, and headed out of my room. My hands were stained with the green colors I had been using. When I made it down the stairs, I saw Glimmer sitting on our couch, her blonde hair fanned over the edge of the couch and her feet tucked under her.

Prim gave Glimmer a look of pure evil as she passed her. Prim hated Glimmer, and she made it very obvious. The last time Glimmer was here, she had gotten sprayed on by lemonade. I wondered what Prim would use to torture Glimmer today.

"Hey, Glim," I greeted her awkwardly, and sat down on the couch, making sure to leave a wide berth of space between us. Her only response was to glare at me haughtily.

"Is something wrong?" I asked in the same awkward tone. In an effort to placate her, I put an arm around her, and pulled her in closer to me, so that she was practically sitting in my lap. Never mind the fact that holding her gave me no satisfaction, and I kept wishing it was Katniss I was holding. "What's wrong, Glim?"

"We haven't done anything together for such a long time!" She wailed. "I feel like you don't even like me anymore!"

Maybe Glimmer was more observant than she let on.

"No Glimmer, that's ridiculous." I responded, giving her a quick peck on her smooth cheek. "Let's spend some time together today then."

Glimmer's eyes lit up eagerly. I was reminded of an earlier time and place, where my world revolved around Glimmer. But now, the sight of her didn't stir any type of emotion inside of me. I leaned in for another kiss, but the feeling just wasn't there.

I led her up to my room, and made sure she didn't step on the painting I'd worked so hard on. Her perfectly arched eyebrows shot up at the sight of the picture. "Peeta, did you do this?" She asked in amazement.

Glimmer had never shown any type of interest in my drawing skills, so I was surprised that she liked this. "Yeah." I replied, keeping the response short.

She flopped down on my bed, and stared at the picture for several moments. "Who's it for?" She asked in the same light tone. It might just be my imagination, but I sensed a hidden meaning to the question.

"It's just for me." I replied. I had a feeling that if I told her it was for Katniss, she might blow up on me. But I still wasn't sure what Glimmer didn't like about Katniss.

"Oh, good." She replied, wrapping her arms around me. She nuzzled her head in the crook of my shoulder, and sighed in content. "I thought it might be for that Katniss girl."

"Why would you think that?" I asked, ruffling her hair softly. This used to be one of my favorite things to do with Glimmer, but now I was just trying to distract her.

"Well, you guys always talk." She replied grumpily. She sat up straight, giving me her full, undivided attention. I had a feeling that the real reason she had come was to talk about Katniss.

"Don't worry about it, Glimmer." I soothed her. I've always been good with words, and it was working to my advantage in this situation.

**"**Oh, yeah?" She asked coldly. In this moment, she no longer looked remotely beautiful. She looked absolutely furious.

"Yes." I replied shortly. "Katniss and I are just friends!"

Glimmer appraised me for several long seconds before replying. "I don't believe you."

"Well, it's true." I glared at her with all the hatred I could muster up, and I was pleased when Glimmer looked away first.

She got off my bed, and grabbed her purse from where she'd flung it against the wall. "This is so not over, Peeta." And with that, she stormed out of my room, and down the stairs.

I followed her down the stairs as fast as I could with a messed-up ankle, and grabbed her hand from behind. "Glimmer, wait. Look, Katniss and I are just desk partners." I said in as earnest a voice as I could.

"Really, Peeta?" Glimmer asked hesitantly. I could see a flicker of hope in her emerald eyes, and my heart broke for Glimmer. No matter what her faults, Glimmer really did like me. I'll admit she liked me for all the wrong reasons- popularity and football, but she didn't deserve my cruelty. I didn't want to hurt her feelings, because that isn't the type of person I am.

"Do you want to go see a movie or something?" I asked her as we climbed down the stairs together. For a moment, I actually forgot that I didn't like her.

"No, Peeta, not today. Maybe this weekend sometime, ok?" She replied.

I was about to lean in for our goodbye kiss when Glimmer let out a loud screech and let go of me. Prim stood behind her with a very satisfied expression on her face. She held an empty cup in her right hand. The contents had been spilled all over Glimmer, who was looking at Prim with fury.

"You bitch!" Glimmer screeched, mere inches away from Prim's face. "How dare you?!"

"It was an accident!" Prim sniffled in a pathetic tone. Prim was a superb actor, she could even fool me at times. "You were in the way, and I accidently bumped into you!"

Glimmer turned in my direction suppliantly, and I actually saw tears running down her wet cheeks. "Peeta…"

I gave Prim a wink before giving her a stern glance. "Not nice, Prim." I scolded her in a serious tone.

"Sorry, Peeta!" She looked up at me with her puppy dog eyes, and I felt myself smile.

"Glim, get home." I gave her a hug, being careful to avoid getting wet.

"See you tomorrow, babe." She sniffled, and walked out of our house. A moment later, I heard her car start up, and she was gone.

"Prim." I began. "What did you spill on her?"

"It was only water!" She screamed. "You know I hate her! And I saved you from kissing her!" Prim's blue eyes looked at me with fury. This wasn't the Prim I was used to. Her normally soft blue eyes were now icy and a little deranged. Her blonde hair was frizzy, and her pretty face was scrunched up in anger.

"Prim, that was childish." I rebuked her. "You can get your point across without doing that."

"I know, Peeta." Prim's demeanor deflated, and she looked up at me sadly. "Are you mad at me?"

"No, Prim, never." I replied with a sigh. She gave me a huge smile, and jumped into my arms. I stroked her blonde hair, and I felt her smile against my chest.

* * *

I chanced a quick glance at her, and found her staring straight ahead, her eyes focused on the blonde head of the one and only Glimmer Hayes. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that Glimmer was envious of Katniss. It wasn't the most comforting of thoughts, because I knew that Glimmer always gets what she wants.

So why was Glimmer jealous of Katniss?

I thought of Glimmer's visit yesterday, and how worried she had been that Katniss was replacing her. Perhaps Glimmer was jealous of Katniss because she thought I was going to break up with her over Katniss.

Like I'd thought before, perhaps Glimmer was much more observant than she let on.

I nudged Katniss gently, and she started out of her musing with a glare in my direction. I held my hands up in mock surrender, and put on the most innocent look I could on my face. I actually managed to make her stop glaring in my direction, and now she was looking at me with a small degree of amusement.

"Mr. Mellark, please repeat what I just said." McCrane suddenly drawled in a dry voice from the front of the room, effectively ruining the moment Katniss and I were having- or about to have, I guess.

I looked up, and panicked for a moment before I saw Katniss push a notebook in my direction. The movement was so quick that I wondered if she had done it on accident. From McCrane's vantage point, Katniss's action would be completely imperceptible. I read the last sentence of Katniss's notes back to McCrane in a monotone voice. "The writing of Shakespeare has endured the test of time, and will continue to be read for many years to come."

McCrane's beady eyes narrowed behind her thick spectacles, and she looked disappointed that she had been denied giving me a detention. She finally nodded, and turned back to her desk and grabbed a stack of papers.

I used the hiatus of McCrane's lecture to thank Katniss. "Thanks." I whispered so quietly that I wasn't even sure she heard me.

"No problem." She whispered back just as soundlessly, all the while staring straight ahead and not meeting my eyes.

"Seriously, thanks." I insisted. "I wasn't even paying attention to her, why did you help me?"

"Because…" She trailed off uncertainly, as if afraid to say the wrong thing. "I didn't want you to get in trouble."

I knew that she had originally been meaning to say something else, so I was disappointed that she had changed her answer. "Why don't you trust me?" I whispered. I tried to keep the self-pity out of my voice, and was pleased when the words came out evenly. It occurred to me that McCrane's room wasn't the best place to have this conversation, but I didn't really care.

"I don't trust anyone." She countered in an icy whisper. Katniss turned away from me, pushing her notebook back to her desk, obviously indicating that this conversation was over.

I sighed. _Would she ever open up to me?_

Katniss stiffly handed me a note, all folded up into a small square. I opened it with shaky fingers, very aware of her eyes on me, and became conscious of the fact that I was holding my breath anxiously. _Breath, Peeta, it's just a note!_

In a neat, small handwriting, she had written: _Why do you trust me?_

I took my time with my response. It's not like I could tell her I was secretly in love with her. Even though I knew she'd hate this response, I wrote: _Because you're different_, and handed it back to her.

I watched her anxiously as she read the note. Her eyes narrowed, and I was afraid I'd offended her. Stupid Peeta, why did you say that! I thought agitatedly.

She handed the note to me from beneath our desks. For a moment, my hand brushed hers, and I felt a bolt of electricity shoot through me. I tried to pretend that I wasn't affected by her touch, and opened the note quickly. _How so?_

_I can be myself around you._ I scrawled out quickly, and passed the note to her. It was true; I could only be myself around her. Around Glimmer, I have to act like I like her, and around Cato, I have to act like I enjoy being part of his crowd.

She smiled in agreement at my words, and I felt a small flicker of happiness. I would do a lot of things to see that smile.

Katniss didn't bother writing a response on the paper, because it was clearly written on her face. I gazed at her in dumbfounded silence for a couple moments before I realized that I was staring. I turned away from her, and feigned attention in the mind-numbing speech McCrane was halfway through.

During times like these, I felt like maybe she felt something for me as well. But she shut me out and crushed my hopes every single time, without fail. Prim told me to give Katniss some time, but I wasn't asking for much. I just wanted her to trust me.

I ripped a small piece of paper off, and quickly scrawled out: _Meet me at my locker right after school?_

After Katniss had read the note, she nodded at me, and I felt my heart soar. I can't wait to see what she thought of the painting.

* * *

When the bell finally rang to signal the end of seventh period and the school day, I leaped up from my chair and was among the first people to leave the classroom. Since I gave the note to Katniss, the day has been going by so slowly that I could've sworn that there was something wrong with our clocks. But it turns out time was going slowly because of my excitement over giving Katniss the painting.

I hurried through the hallways, not stopping to talk to anyone. I gave Cato a quick nod as I passed him and Clove by, though, because I really didn't want any trouble with Cato now. Unfortunately, Cato grabbed my shoulder as I passed him, and I unwillingly turned to face him.

"Mellark." He snarled in his raspy voice. Sometimes, I suspected he smoked. "What the hell happened during last week's game?"

"I didn't see him." I replied shortly. I was so not in the mood to talk to Cato. I just wanted to meet Katniss.

"Yeah, well you fucked up my perfect game." He glared at me with his icy blue eyes. "Be careful next time."

"Cato trained hard for the game, and you came and messed it up for him." Clove glared at me. I instinctively froze, not wanting to challenge Clove. She was lethal, in all senses of the word. "Jerk." She muttered under her breath.

_Oh well, she's could've said much worse to me._

"Don't worry, Clove, Cato." I tried to pass it off, but Cato's eyes narrowed.

"I haven't forgotten about Glimmer." He threatened. "Watch out, Mellark."

I sighed. Was everyone out to get me? Cato has hated me ever since I started dating Glimmer. I asked her out to homecoming sophomore year, and Cato hasn't forgiven me. To be honest, Cato wasn't the forgiving type, so I was wary. I added him to the list of people who hated me.

I idly wondered if Katniss was on that list.

When I finally arrived at my locker, I saw Katniss leaning on the metal and waiting for me expectantly. When she saw me, she snickered a little bit, and said, "Time isn't your strong suit, is it?"

"Sorry, I got held up by Cato." I replied. My tone was still a little annoyed from my encounter, and I took a deep, steadying my breath before putting my combination in.

"What did he want?" She asked curiously. "I thought you guys don't talk very much."

"We don't." I sighed. "It was about last week's game. He's furious that I messed up his perfect game."

"That's ridiculous!" Katniss replied indignantly. "He didn't get his ankle hurt!"

"Doesn't matter." I smiled, deeply touched by her concern.

"Close your eyes." I told Katniss gently. She rolled her eyes at me, but closed them nevertheless. She looked so calm and peaceful that I couldn't resist tucking a strand of loose hair behind her ear.

Her steely eyes immediately flew open. "What was that for?" She snapped.

"That piece was bothering me." I replied with a shy smile. I was surprised when she smiled back hesitantly.

"You wanted me to come to your locker?" Katniss asked, bringing me back to the present. I realized that I had been staring at her for several seconds, and I forced myself to look away.

"Yes, sorry." I replied, feeling my cheeks heat up. "Close your eyes." I repeated.

"Don't touch me." She warned before closing her eyes again.

I smiled and shook my head as I grabbed the painting out of my locker. I placed it in her outstretched arms gently, and said "Now open your eyes."

I waited for her reaction with baited breath. At first, Katniss just stared at the picture, but then she looked up at me in shock. Before I could say anything, Katniss started flat-out crying.

This was not how I imagined this little meeting to go at all. I had hoped she would love it, and perhaps, in her happiness, show some affection.

"Don't cry, please." I murmured awkwardly. "If you don't like it, I can take it back."

Katniss continued to cry, and I felt so helpless just looking on as she cried. I quickly closed the gap between us, and pulled her in for a comforting hug. My heart pounded with the proximity of her, and I could feel small bursts of shock from where her head rested on my chest.

I was surprised when she didn't pull away. She just cried into my shirt for what seemed like ages. I caught words here and there. "Meadow… Woods… How?… Perfect…"

I stared down at her, gently rubbing her back and letting her soak my shirt with her tears. She finally lifted her head from after several minutes of hard crying, and I immediately missed the weight of her head.

"How did you know?" She sniffled. Katniss looked up at me with red eyes, and I wiped away a stray tear from her cheek.

"Know what?" I inquired, surprised at how soft my voice sounded.

"That looks just like my woods, in California." She explained. "The trees, the meadow, and even the stream, everything is just like I remembered it."

"Then why are you crying?" I honestly had no idea why she was crying.

"Gale…" She whimpered. Her eyes suddenly widened in horror, and she looked aghast at what she had said.

"Who's Gale?" I hoped I wasn't pushing her too far. I certainly didn't want another emotional breakdown.

"He was…" She trailed off, her eyes taking on a glassy quality. "We were friends."

By the way she said friends, I knew she meant much more than "just friends," but I didn't push her. Katniss had opened up to me more she ever had today.

"I'm sorry." I began uneasily. "I can take it back."

"What?" She looked up at me in surprise. "No, I love it! It's just perfect, please let me keep it!"

I chuckled, and said "Of course you can keep it. I was worried you didn't like it!"

Her grey eyes widened with shock. "How could I not like anything you draw?"

I blushed at her comment. This was definitely the first compliment I have ever received from her. "Thank you." I replied humbly. "That means a lot."

I was surprised when she closed the distance between us, and wrapped her arms around my shoulders, which was as far up as she could reach. "Thank you." She murmured into my shoulder. "You reminded me of some really happy times."

"I'm glad." I replied, hugging her back. There was no way I was passing up a hug from Katniss. I leaned my head down on her hair, and inhaled deeply in the scent of her hair. It smelled like vanilla and cinnamon, and I immediately thought of the cinnamon buns we made at the bakery.

"Is that your way of telling me I need a bath?" Katniss teased lightly, not moving from my arms.

"No, just the opposite." I smiled into her hair. "It smells like the cinnamon buns we make at the bakery. You've got to try them someday!"

"If they're as good as your cookies, then I can't say no." She replied, breathing into my shirt.

I looked up from her temporarily, and saw something that made my blood run cold. Glimmer was standing about ten feet away, flanked by Cato and Clove. Her eyes were wide with horror as she stared at Katniss wrapped in my arms.

I immediately let go of Katniss, and slammed my locker shut. "Peeta Mellark!" I heard Glimmer's scream of fury.

"Why the hell are you cheating on me?" She shouted in anger. She looked beside herself. Her normally smooth tanned skin was red with rage, and her green eyes blazed dangerously.

"I'm not!" I retorted, glaring back at her. "Katniss and I are just friends!"

"Yeah, sure." She snickered, and looked at Katniss. "What do you see in her anyways? She is so ugly!"

I finally snapped. I wouldn't let anyone insult Katniss. "She is not ugly! Why are you jealous of her?"

"I am not jealous!" Glimmer looked beyond enraged now. "She is trying to ruin our relationship!"

"Did we even have a relationship to start with, Glimmer?" I couldn't remember the last time I had been this mean to anyone ever. "I've wanted to break up with you for months!"

"Oh, really?" She screeched. "Well, we are so over, Peeta!"

"That's fine with me." I shrugged. Glimmer's furious features crumbled, and I saw the pain etched into her face. I was satisfied, but a little guilty to see how disappointed Glimmer looked. She had thought I would put up a fight, or beg her to stay.

"Fine." She breathed out softly, and turned to Katniss. Her eyes suddenly focused on the painting Katniss held in one hand, and I knew she recognized it from yesterday.

"Peeta, you said it wasn't for her." Glimmer turned back to me, her voice surprisingly steady. "So, you draw her pictures now too?"

"Yeah, I do." I shrugged. I saw no point in backing down to her now. We were obviously over, so it didn't matter.

I couldn't stand letting Glimmer leave like this, it just wasn't right. "This has nothing to do with Katniss, Glimmer. I just wasn't feeling anything anymore."

"You will pay." She hissed angrily at both Katniss and I. "Come on, Clove, Cato." Glimmer walked away, her blonde hair swaying down her back as she left. Clove and Cato followed behind her a couple paces.

"I'm so sorry!" Katniss moaned the second they had left. "This was all my fault!"

"No, it isn't." I smiled at her. "We've been rocky for ages now. It was about time we break up."

"Okay, if you're sure." She gave me a piercing look, as if she was trying to draw the truth right out of me.

"Come on, I promised you a cinnamon bun, right?" I grinned at her, trying to lighten her up again.

"Right." She smiled at me, and we walked out the school together.

I walked over to my car, and opened the passenger seat for her. "What about your sister?" She asked in concern.

"Prim has dance after school today." I explained. "Get in."

She got into the car gracefully, and I closed the door and went around to my side. She played around with the radio while I drove, and I let her. If it was Prim, I would've been furious. But this was Katniss, and it was impossible to resist her and not give her what she wants.

Ten minutes later, we arrived at the bakery. I opened the door of the bakery for her, and waved to Thresh. "Hey Thresh, this is Katniss." I introduced him when we got to the front counter. "Katniss, this is Thresh, he works here."

"Hi, Thresh." She greeted him, and he nodded at her in response.

Katniss looked somewhat hurt, but I just said. "Thresh, can we get two cinnamon buns, please?"

Thresh nodded again, and pulled two cinnamon buns out of the display case. "Just baked them." He said gruffly. "Still hot."

"Thanks, Thresh." I replied, taking the two pastries from him. Katniss had already taken a seat at one of our tables, and I sat opposite her, and pushed one of the cinnamon buns towards her.

"Not much of a talker, is he?" Katniss inquired once I sat down.

"Reminds me of someone I know." I teased her playfully. She scowled at me, but didn't look too particularly angry.

"I'll pay you back." She mumbled guilty a couple seconds later, confirming my suspicions.

"No, please. It's on me." I bit into the hot, gooey pastry, and sighed in pleasure. "Try it. They're still hot!" I insisted.

She tentatively took a bite, and moaned in pleasure. "This is so amazing! Everything in your bakery is so good!"

"Thanks." I blushed. I couldn't believe this. A break-up with Glimmer and dessert with Katniss all in one day? Could this day get any better?

I wonder what Katniss would say when I asked her if she considered this a date?

"Peeta?" Katniss asked hesitantly.

"Yeah?" I replied, swallowing a particularly large bite of my cinnamon bun. I looked up at her expectantly, and I saw that she was also blushing.

"Can I ask you something?" She asked hesitantly, her steely grey eyes fixed on mine.

"Yeah, of course. Ask away." I replied, fixing my eyes on her, and trying to set her at ease.

"What do you think of me?"

* * *

_So, the next chapter will start up right here, but in Katniss's POV. Finally, the girl is starting to open up! She took long enough!_

_And what did you think of that break-up? Glimmer will continue to cause trouble; she isn't gone quite yet._

_Also, don't worry, there will be a lot more Cato and Clove in later chapters. Especially Clove._

_Please review, and let me know what you're all thinking! I love it when my readers review, it makes me so happy. I get this big huge idiotic smile with every single review! :)_

_See you all on Friday (that's the new update day!) 3_


	7. Chapter 6: Katniss

**~Sketching Out Our Love~**

**~Chapter 6~**

_Hi everyone! Thanks so much for everything! I know I say that every chapter, but you guys are EPIC. I seriously couldn't ask for better readers! _

_Also, this is my last week of summer vacation. That means I have school all morning, and dance three days a week after school for three hours. My writing time is really going to be cut in half. If I don't update every week, I apologize. But I will try to! Also, if I don't read one of my favorite/alerted stories the very second it is updated, I apologize. I promise I will get to it. :)_

_A big huge "Thank You!" goes out to my wonderful Beta, Milanpia. She did an amazing job with this chapter!_

_So… do you want me to stop droning on with this Author's Note so you can actually read the new chapter? _

_Yes, you do. So, start reading. _

_Enjoy!_

**~Katniss POV~**

"What do you think of me?"

I don't know what possessed me to ask him that. The words just tumbled out of my mouth, and I couldn't take them back after I'd uttered them, as much as I wished I could.

Peeta stared at me for a long time. The look he gave me wasn't angry, or even embarrassed or awkward. He just looked merely thoughtful, and his face took on an intense quality. His golden eyebrows knitted together, and his usually welcoming blue eyes resembled ice chips. His full lips were pressed together, and for a moment, I wondered what it would feel like to kiss them.

But I banished the thought quickly from my mind. I couldn't afford to think like that. It wouldn't do me any good in the long run.

But I couldn't lie to myself anymore. There was no doubt about the fact that Peeta Mellark turned me on… As embarrassing as it sounds, no one had ever made me feel this way, besides Gale. But Gale was dead, lying under the earth of a graveyard in San Diego.

I took a bite of the cinnamon roll. At first, I had resolved not to eat it. But, like all of my promises where Peeta was concerned, I ended up breaking it.

_Damn him. _

There was something so _endearing_ about those tousled blonde curls of his, and the slightly childlike quality of his face. If anyone had told me I would have fallen for a sentimental blonde-haired blue-eyed boy, I would've scoffed at the very idea in their face.

"Peeta?" I prompted him gently.

"Tell me if this makes sense, Ok?" Peeta ran his hand through the already messed-up locks, and I grinned. I loved it when he did that. But then again, everything about Peeta was loveable.

"Ok, tell me." I replied, smiling at him in encouragement.

"You're like a painting." He began, looking up at me with those wide azure blue eyes.

"How so?" I enquired. I was genuinely curious to see where he would take this metaphor.

"Well, pictures can have layers." Peeta explained. "You can paint something completely different over the first layer, and you won't even know it's there."

I was no artist, so I was confused. "Please explain this to the artistically challenged girl in normal English, please." I complained drily. Peeta cracked a grin, and I found myself smiling along with him.

Damn him. I never smiled. Even around Gale, my smiles had been sparse. And now, I couldn't stop.

"I'm sorry." Peeta blushed, and I felt my heart squeeze pleasurably.

"Continue." I drawled lazily, taking the last bite of that amazing cinnamon roll.

"Well, you're like a picture, because you have layers. You've painted a layer over yourself, and I can't see the real Katniss." Peeta paused to take a breath. "But sometimes, I can see the real you. The paint starts to wear off around the edges."

I froze in shock, and I could feel the cinnamon roll get stuck somewhere in my throat. For the third time in less than five minutes, I cursed Peeta.

I choked on the stupid cinnamon roll, and I could feel my eyes watering. My heaving coughs refused to subside, and I could feel myself gasp for a lungful of air. After several long seconds, Peeta seemed to be genuinely concerned for my life. He ran to get a glass of water, and if I wasn't coughing my lungs up, I would laugh.

_He is such a gentleman. _

Peeta forced the cool glass of water into my hands, and his hands made their way to my back. After several long minutes of Peeta rubbing my back, and me having a near-death experience, I calmed down enough to force some water down my throat. Peeta retreated to his chair, looking thoroughly embarrassed. His cheeks were red, and the blush extended all the way to his ears.

"Are you alright?" Peeta asked me cautiously. "I can get you more water, if you want."

"No, I'm fine." I managed to croak out in a hoarse voice. It sounded like I hadn't used my voice for days. "Thanks for nearly killing me."

"Sorry." Peeta looked so genuinely sorry that I just had to laugh. His blue eyes were wide, and his lips were parted into a hopeful smile.

"It's fine." I grumbled, thoroughly annoyed that he made me so gushy and emotional.

"Did you not like my metaphor?" Peeta looked disappointed. "I thought it was pretty good!"

"It was _too_ good." I replied emphatically. "You read me like book."

"Artistic insights." He replied proudly. His voices suddenly dropped several octaves, and he whispers, "Unfortunately, I think that is true. Do you have any secrets worth my time?"

"Ughh... Not really." I reply. "Seductive doesn't work for you."

Peeta laughs, and his voice returns to normal. "Thanks for bursting my ego."

"It was overinflated." I quipped back, thoroughly enjoying teasing him.

"Ok, I'll give you that." He coincides. "But seriously, tell me. Why do you hide things from me? Am I not trusted?"

"I'm trying to trust you." I whispered. "I promise I'll tell you someday… But not yet."

"Fair enough." Peeta grins, and I feel myself like him ten times more. He doesn't push. Peeta knows that when I'm ready, I'll tell him. It takes a huge level of trust to do that.

"Thank you." I put as much sincerity and gratitude as I can into the words.

"Let's get you home, what do you say?" Peeta stands, and throws both of our plates out.

We walk out together, and I get into his car. I fumble around with the radio, and the dial stops on a fluffy romance song. This normally isn't my type of music, so I'm surprised when my hand pauses on the dial.

_I won't give up on us  
Even if the skies get rough  
I'm giving you all my love  
I'm still looking up  
Still looking up._

I won't give up on us (no I'm not giving up)  
God knows I'm tough enough (I am tough, I am loved)  
We've got a lot to learn (we're alive, we are loved)  
God knows we're worth it (and we're worth it)

"I didn't peg you as the romance type." Peeta commented lightly as he made his way out of the parking lot.

"I'm not." I replied. "But I just feel like it today."

"Does it have anything to do with me?" He asked, wiggling his eyebrows at me.

I couldn't help but laugh. He was so full of himself. "No. Sorry to crush you."

_Of course it does. It has everything to do with you._

"Ok, Miss Romance." Peeta chuckled a little, but turned serious. "I don't know where you live. Where do I go?"

For the rest of the car ride, I didn't make any small conversation with him. I just gave him once sentence instructions on how to get me home. Peeta looked a little crushed at my sudden lack of chatter, but he didn't comment.

Finally, we arrived in front of the apartment complex where my mother and I lived. Peeta pulled into a parking, but hesitated. "Would you like me to walk you up?" He questioned politely.

"I know how to get to my own house, Peeta Mellark!" I screeched, trying to open my door, but it was locked.

"My first dates never go well." Peeta reflected in a melancholy tone. "Glimmer managed to kiss me for thirty minutes straight. Not a good memory."

"Date?! Who told you this was a date?!" I glared at Peeta. "Damn you, Peeta, open the door!"

Peeta complied, and flicked the lock switch. I didn't hesitate before opening the door, getting out, and slamming the door as hard as I could.

I made to walk away, but Peeta rolled the window down. "Easy, tiger." Peeta snickered. "Don't forget your backpack."

I glared at him, furious that he had put one over me. Nevertheless, I opened the backseat door, and slung my backpack over my shoulder. I walked away, doing a spectacular job at ignoring his chortling laughter.

"It can't hurt to ask if I can have a kiss, right?" Peeta asked in an innocent tone once I was about five feet away.

I turned around and gave him the middle finger. Peeta just continued to chuckle harder than ever. I turned away from him, and walked away before I could do something stupid like start laughing along with him.

By the time I reached the elevators, my anger for him had already evaporated into thin air. It was simply impossible to stay mad at Peeta for any length of time.

I hated him for the fact that he had made me fall for him.

I wondered if he knew that I was falling for him. Somehow, I knew that he was very aware of the fact.

* * *

_Hi._

My phone lit up blindingly with that one-worded message first thing the next morning… Of course it was sent from Peeta. As hard as I tried to ignore it, my heart was fluttering a little bit in my chest. I debated responding or not.

But I ended up responding, of course. Just because it was Peeta, and I found that I couldn't ignore Peeta.

_Hi_.

His response was so fast that I wondered if he didn't have it already typed out and waiting for me to respond.

_What are you doing?_

_**Me: **__Getting ready for school. _

_Boring. Can I come over?_

_**Me: **__No, you can't._

_Technically, I could. I know the way and all. _

_**Me: **__I won't let you in._

_We'll see about that. See you in 20 minutes. _

_**Me: **__What? No, don't come!_

_See you soon. _

I slumped back in bed. This morning definitely wasn't getting off to a great start. What had I deserved to see Peeta before eight in the morning anyways? He was just too bouncy and cheerful to be around so early.

Now that I think about it, Peeta only served to complicate my life. I wasn't even sure about what I felt for him! One minute I was certain I hated him, and the next I wanted to kiss him.

My feelings for Gale had never been this complicated. I knew what I felt for Gale, and I'd never wavered. I loved him, but definitely not in the same way I felt about Peeta. Living without Gale had gotten easier, but living without Peeta seemed unimaginable.

I pulled a light blue shirt on, with a pair of jeans. I felt like Peeta would like the blue hue of my shirt. Then I froze, and wondered when I had begun to dress to impress Peeta.

The bell rang right as I finished my breakfast, which consisted of yogurt and a granola bar. As I went to open the door, I caught myself looking in the mirror and adjusting my hair. When I realized what I was doing, I messed it back up.

Something was very, very wrong with me today. I was so scared of myself that I just wanted to curl back in bed so I couldn't humiliate myself.

I opened the door an inch and peeked out through the small crevice. Before I could even make out Peeta's muscular build, a head of blonde hair crashed through the door and gave me a bone-crunching hug.

I staggered against the doorframe, and struggled to get a lungful of air. I looked down at my attacker, and saw medium length blonde hair, and a pink sweater. Peeta stood at the door, grinning apologetically at me.

"Umm… Hi" I began cautiously, and extricated myself from the girl's hold so I could breathe properly.

"Oh, Katniss, it's so great to finally meet you!" The girl exclaimed. "Peeta, don't just stand there! Go say hi!"

Peeta rolled his eyes at the blonde girl, but smiled all the same. "Katniss, this is my sister, Prim."

I had assumed that much, but I nodded politely. "Hey, Prim. How are you?"

"Great! I can't believe I'm finally meeting you!" Prim looked up at me with her huge sky-blue orbs, and I couldn't help but giggle.

"Nice meeting you too, Prim." I replied politely.

"Come on, Katniss, we don't want to be late!" Prim skipped back to Peeta's car like an overgrown Kindergartener.

"What's with her?" I asked Peeta in a low mutter as we followed Prim to the car.

"She's super-excited that Glimmer and I broke up, and she thinks you're the reason we broke up." Peeta explained in a low voice. "She thinks you're some kind of hero now."

"Oh… I wasn't expecting that." I replied truthfully.

"I know, right?" Peeta gave me a crooked grin, and went to the passenger seat, where he promptly kicked Prim out. "Prim, Katniss gets to sit there!"

Prim haughtily got out of the front seat, and stalked to the back seat. "Fine, let your _girlfriend _sit in the front!"

Peeta turned so red that I would laugh if I wasn't concerned about him having a stroke or something along those lines. Even his ears were red.

In that moment, I discovered that embarrassed Peeta is a very hotPeeta.

"Come here, Katniss." Peeta threw Prim's pink backpack somewhere in the back of the car. Judging by the muffled scream from inside, I assumed he'd hit Prim.

I cautiously entered Peeta's car, and closed the door. Prim sat sulking in the back, her backpack in her lap. "Sorry, Prim." I apologized.

"It's alright. But you better go out with him to make up for it." She snickered.

All I could do was gape at her. Thankfully, Peeta got in at that moment, saving me from responding. "Here, I brought you something." He handed me a white bag, still warm and deliciously smelling.

"Thanks, what is it?" I asked as I pulled the warm bread out of the bag.

"It's my specialty in the bakery. It's called the cheesy bun." He watched me expectantly as I took my first bite.

"Well, do you like it?" Peeta asked excitedly, looking at me like an eager child.

I simply nodded in response. This cheesy bun was so good that I didn't want to waste time talking. I officially decided it was my new favorite food in the world.

"Ok, that's good." Peeta looked crestfallen at my lack of praise, and I suddenly felt bad.

"No, it's great! I love cheesy buns!" I exclaimed hurriedly as I finished the last of the bread.

"You aren't just saying that?" Peeta asked curiously. "It's ok if you don't."

"No, I do like them! I'm sorry for not answering!" I was so angry with myself now, that I felt like I might burst into tears for no reason.

"Hey, Katniss, I was just joking." Peeta laughed, and I felt my cheeks heat up.

_Now, this is embarrassing. I should have stayed in bed. _

I stayed silent for the rest of the ride, my hands folded on top of my backpack. I watched Peeta from the corner of my eyes, and tried to pretend that I had no feelings for him.

But I couldn't lie to myself, unfortunately.

Thankfully, the car ride wasn't very long. Prim immediately leaped out of the car once Peeta had parked. "Bye, Katniss! Nice meeting you!" She gave another hug, and then bounded off to find her friends.

"She really likes you." Peeta remarked as we made our way to my locker.

"I like her." I announced unexpectedly as I pulled out my English book. I threw the book down at the bottom of my bag, making sure to crease a few of the pages in the process.

"Prim's my best friend and sister." Peeta explained. "I know it sounds stupid, but she is the kindest person I know."

"I wish I could have a sister." I remarked wistfully.

Peeta and I headed to his locker next. Glimmer and a bunch of her friends stood nearby, and Peeta stiffened as we walked past them.

Glimmer caught me by the hand as we walked past. "How's your boyfriend, Kaitlin?" Glimmer sneered.

_It's Katniss. _

I refused to answer her, though. I knew she was just trying to work me up, and cause trouble, but it took all of my self-restraint to continue walking forward calmly. Glimmer's echoing laughs followed me, and I felt a cold shiver run up my spine.

I had a bad feeling about Glimmer. She didn't seem like the type of person who backed down easily.

"Don't worry about Glimmer." Peeta sighed in defeat. "She's just upset."

"You always think the best of people." I marveled at the forgiving qualities that Peeta possessed.

"I hate to accuse people." Peeta explained. He turned to face me, and I realized how close beside me he stood. Our faces were barely an inch apart, and our thighs brushed against each other. I became aware of my pounding heartbeat and the slight lightheadedness I felt.

His hand cautiously drifted my hair, and he stroked one of the strands of my dark hair "You left your hair down today." Peeta whispered as he played with the locks gently.

Suddenly, the world shrank down to just us. Time seemed to stop as we stared into each other's eyes. I was so afraid of what would happen, but also excited.

I didn't push him away, because at that point, I didn't know if I even physically could. I felt trapped in those sapphire blue eyes of his, and all I could do was stare. His gentle hand brushed down my hair, reaching my jawline. I got tired of the foreplay much more quickly than he did. I pulled myself up on the tips of my toes, and stroked his chin with the tips of my fingers. It was perfectly smooth; he had obviously shaved this morning.

His lips suddenly replaced his hands. He had pressed his lip to my cheek very unexpectedly, so I involuntarily gasped when his lips made contact with my skin. It felt like he was blazing a trail of fire down my face, but it also felt icy at the same time. Small bursts of electricity traveled down to the tips of my toes. My heart did a somersault in my chest, and I tried to press my lips to his.

"It's an innocent kiss." Peeta murmured into my cheek.

"Screw your innocence." I gasped out. "Kiss me already."

A hunger, unlike all other hungers I've ever felt, had overtaken me. I needed him to kiss me now, and I didn't care about the repercussions that would surely follow afterwards.

Peeta didn't need to be told twice. He gently cupped my face in his hands, and kissed me. I became aware of the fact that my eyes were closed, so I opened them to find Peeta's blue ones an inch from mine. His lips were feathery light on my own.

Peeta kissed me like he was giving me _everything_. Gale's kisses had been more violent and passionate, like he had been claiming me.

I opened my mouth slightly, and let my tongue flick across his lips, begging for entrance. To my disappointment, Peeta pushed me away, and I immediately felt the loss of contact. My legs felt like jelly, and I leaned against the row of lockers so I wouldn't topple right over.

_Gale's kisses never felt like this. _

This made me question if I'd ever _loved_ Gale in the first place. I mean, I know I loved him, but like a brother. My love for Gale had been born out of sorrow. He was someone to lean on during the hardest time of my life.

The way I felt about Peeta was different. This romance love was completely foreign to me.

Now, I was so confused about my feelings for both Gale and Peeta. I tried to compare Gale and Peeta, and what I felt for each of them. But for some reason, Gale and Peeta didn't co-exist very well in my mind.

My brain was still trying to remember how to properly function, but I was still faint. My heart was pounding so fast I was afraid it would leap right out of my chest.

_Stupid Katniss! Why did you let him kiss you?_

The ecstasy of the kiss faded away into thin air, and was replaced with white hot anger. I was furious that I had let him kiss me, and now he would know I had feelings for him.

"Wow." Peeta groaned. "That was amazing."

"It didn't happen." I snapped. "Never mention it again."

Peeta stared at me in disbelief. "Don't you dare deny it, Katniss. I felt that."

"I didn't feel anything." I glared at him. "It didn't happen."

Peeta looked crushed, but I didn't cave in. There was no way I was telling him the truth. The simple truth was that this had gotten out of control. And I needed to stay away from Peeta, or I'd be in serious trouble.

I turned away from him, and walked to the girl's bathroom on shaky legs. My whole body was shaking in a mixture of rage and shock. As much as I hated to admit it, that kiss was out of this world.

I tripped on someone's foot. I turned to apologize, and found myself face to face with Glimmer.

_Great. Like I need this right now. _

"Well, look at you." She sneered. Her green eyes were glistening with pure delight. I knew she had seen the kiss. "You'll have to pay for that."

I yanked my arm out of her grasp, and turned on my heel. The bell rang for first period, so I abandoned the prospect of going to the bathroom, and stalked off to class.

I was so furious with Peeta that I scooted my chair as far as I could from him. Deep down, I knew it wasn't his fault. He had tried to stop, but I had made him kiss me. But it was easier to place the blame on his shoulders, because then I can hide from the truth. The truth that I am hopelessly, undeniably infatuated with Peeta.

I took diligent notes in English that day, and didn't look in Peeta's direction once. I was very proud of my self-restraint, until was starting to think it would be very easy to stop liking Peeta. I scanned the three pages of notes I had written on Shakespeare that day, tuning out McCrane for the time being.

"You will be working on a project with your desk partners on Shakespearean plays." McCrane announced in a proud tone, as if she enjoyed torturing us. "It will be due in two months, right before Thanksgiving Break. It will count as fifteen percent of your grade."

_Wait, what? What did she just say? _I thought in horror.

I stared at McCrane with a slackened jaw, as wave after wave of dismay rolled through me. If McCrane had just announced my death sentence, I would have been less surprised.

_Ironically, this could be my death sentence. _I thought wryly.

"No in-class work will be allowed." McCrane continued. "All of this must be done outside of class. Here is the rubric." She passed a thick collection of stapled papers to everyone. "You get the rest of the period to work."

I stared at the stack of papers in horror. It wasn't the fact that we had a project that was bothering me as much as the fact that I had to do it with Peeta.

"So…" Peeta began awkwardly. "Let's read the directions, shall we?"

I shrugged, and began to read the rubric silently to myself. "Well, I thought we could read out loud." Peeta elaborated hesitantly. "I'll start, alright?"

I shrugged again, and let him begin reading, as I followed along with him.

It was a terrible project, full of time-consuming, dull work. We had to read one of Shakespeare's plays, and do a full report on it. Then we had to present the whole thing to the class in two months.

All I could focus on was how much time I would have to spend with Peeta to complete this stupid project.

In this moment, I had never hated anyone as much as I hated McCrane. Now I had to spend time with Peeta, whether I wanted to or not.

"_Romeo and Juliet." _McCrane announced as she got to Peeta and mine's desks.

"What?" I asked stupidly, staring at her in utter confusion.

"That's the play you two will report on." McCrane announced in her piercing voice.

_Great, we get the tragic love story. This is going to be interesting. _

"Can we switch partners?" I asked rudely. I saw hurt flash across Peeta's face, but I didn't care.

"No, you can't." McCrane answered. Peeta's eyes lit up a little at her denial.

The bell rang, and I leaped out of my chair as quickly as I could.

"Katniss, look, I'm sorry." Peeta sighed. "Please don't ignore me."

"You should be." I responded harshly, even though I knew he had nothing to apologize for. It was completely my fault. I glared at him coldly, and left him standing there looking utterly lost and dejected.

* * *

It took every ounce of resolve I had to not leave school that day. I dragged myself to all my classes obediently, even though I had considered just leaving several times.

The bell finally rang to signal the end of the day, and I dragged myself to my locker in slow-motion. All I could think about was the fact that _I had kissed Peeta Mellark. _All the horror (and ecstasy) of kissing him had been reverberating in my brain all day. And then add on the fact that I had lashed out at him for absolutely no reason. My head felt like it had been hit by a two-ton brick.

I was so caught up in my thoughts that I almost managed to not see the scene in front of me, and crash into a whole gathering of people. From what I could see, they were mostly seniors, gathered around where my locker was at. They were all whispering, and giggling in gleeful whispers.

I pushed my way to the front; trying to see what was going on. But the crowd was so large that I couldn't see. I stood on my tiptoes, and saw two people in a tight embrace right in front of my locker.

They were both blonde, and from what I could see, tall. The boy, whoever it was, was pushed up against the locker, and the girl was wrapped in his strong, muscular arms.

And then, when I saw those arms, I immediately knew who it was. There was no mistaking those arms, or the gorgeous blonde girl that they held tightly to his muscular chest.

My heart seemed to stop for a long moment, and my blood ran cold. My knees buckled, and I thought I heard a snicker coming from behind me that sounded like Clove.

The boy suddenly looked past the girl's blonde locks, and saw me standing right at the front. His cerulean blue eyes met mine, and I saw the frantic horror of someone who had been caught doing something very wrong reflected in his eyes.

I remembered those soft, full lips pressed against mine just a couple short hours ago, and how much I enjoyed it. My still-fragile heart shattered into a million pieces, like broken glass.

This was the exact reason I hadn't allowed myself to fall for Peeta. There's a danger to loving somebody too much. I saw that firsthand, with Mother.

Because when you trust someone with your heart, they always end up breaking it.

Peeta was kissing Glimmer right by my locker.

* * *

_A lot happens in this chapter. I'm sorry about that. After this chapter, the story really starts to move forward much more quickly. _

_The kiss… There will be more of them, but not for a while. _

_It's mid-September in this chapter, in case you were wondering._

"I Won't Give Up"_ is sung by Jason Mraz. I do not own the lyrics._

_Please review! I know people are reading, so I want you all to review! How else will I know that you guys like/dislike this story? :)_

_*You can find me on twitter__**: ritaglitters**__ or on tumblr: __**GlitterAttack10. **__In case you want to follow a crazy girl. :)_

_See you all on Friday, and don't forget to review! I read every single one of them, I promise. So don't think your review doesn't matter to me. :)_


	8. Chapter 7: Peeta

**~Sketching Out Our Love~**

**~Chapter 8~**

_Hi everyone! I am so sorry about last week's cliffhanger! I tried to post before now, but school and homework got in the way. Forgive me? Please… I promise there aren't any more cliffhangers for a while! _

_I'm also sorry about Katniss last chapter. I know she annoyed all of you (she annoyed me too!) But she'll get better… eventually. :)_

_Also, I want to thank all of you who have shared their personal stories with me. I am so humbled that you would share such personal experiences with me. You and your families are in my thoughts and prayers. _

_Thanks to my two wonderful betas- Choclate lover and Milanpia. They are so awesome; this story would be worthless without their hard work! _

_Enjoy! _

**(This chapter starts a little before the end of the previous chapter, where Katniss saw Peeta and Glimmer kissing.)**

**~Peeta POV~**

I lounged on Katniss's locker, waiting for her to come so I could talk to her.

I mean, _she kissed me! _It's not like I did anything. When she kisses me and blows my mind like that, I don't know what she expects me to do. There was no physical way that I could've pushed her off me or denied her that kiss that _she _asked for.

_She kissed me. _I let the words savor through my mind, and remembered her lips on mine. Soft, full, and fully open to me. For a moment there, I felt like I had finally broken through her walls, but of course she screamed at me and tried to pretend the kiss didn't even occur.

I was thinking we could maybe talk a little after school, so that's why I was waiting for her now. Maybe with the help of a cheesy bun or a cookie, she might become more talkative. But it seemed like a far-fetched plan even for me, and Prim always referred to me as "the optimist."

I saw Glimmer strutting down the school hallway like she owned it, and my body immediately stiffened. In a way, she did own the school though. The principal, Snow, was her uncle. He was a petrifying old man, and I sincerely hoped I would never have to make his acquaintance.

As Glimmer got closer to where I leaned on Katniss's locker, I saw that she was already on Marvel's arm. I guess I was very expandable, easily replaced in the blink of an eye. Marvel looked totally over the moon at this new arrangement, but Glimmer was oblivious to his very existence. I gazed at Marvel's dreamy expression in repulsion, and realized I must have looked just like him when Glimmer and I started dating. The thought made me shudder in discomfiture.

Glimmer leaned over to whisper something in Marvel's ear. He nodded and grinned evilly alongside her. Their eyes flitted over to where I stood, and ducked away quickly.

Nerves gathered in the pit of my stomach. _This couldn't be good. _

I considered walking away, but I really wanted to talk to Katniss. And if I walked away, Glimmer would think I was afraid of her, which would make me look weak.

Glimmer came to stand right beside me, as I'd foreseen. Marvel stood off to the other side, a couple feet away. He sneered when I met his eyes.

_Haha, I thought you were my friend. So much for that._

"Peeta." Glimmer purred. She leaned closer to me, so that her chest was almost touching my own. I tried not to show my uneasiness, so I focused on counting every freckle on her small nose instead. "I missed you." Her tone dropped to a whisper, so no one except us would hear.

I rolled my eyes in response. I know she didn't mean it, and I wouldn't humor her. "What about Marvel?"

"He just isn't the same." She gazed at me with her cat-shaped green eyes. "I wish we could make up."

"Sorry." I shrugged my shoulders, and stepped away from her.

"No, Peeta, don't leave!" She grabbed my arm, and yanked herself closer to me again.

I saw Katniss at the end of the hallway, and I didn't want her to take this conversation between Glimmer and me wrongly. She was already mad enough as it was.

"Bye, Glimmer." I pushed her away, but she glared at me icily, and stood her ground.

"I don't miss you." She growled, her personality shifting from flirty to furious in a moment. "I just want to make that girl feel the pain I've been feeling."

"Leave Katniss alone." I hissed through clenched teeth. "She didn't have anything to do with all this crap!"

"I saw the two of you kissing!" Glimmer's eyes blazed manically. I swear that I could see hurt in her eyes under the anger.

I gaped at Glimmer. How did she know? Was she stalking my every move?

"Surprised, right?" Glimmer smiled, and took a small step closer to me. Katniss was now twenty feet away, so I needed to get rid of Glimmer before she saw us talking.

"No. This is none of your business." I glared at her, hoping she'd just leave.

"Yes, it is." She grinned widely. "Keep being surprised, Peeta."

She pushed me up against the row of lockers so quickly that I couldn't even react in time. My body was thrown against the lockers hard just as her lips suddenly pressed on mine. I recoiled at the feeling of her lips, which felt foreign against mine. It was nothing like the kiss Katniss and I had shared earlier. There was no true feeling to this kiss. Her lips felt sticky with lipstick on mine, and I tried to push her away from me vainly.

She laughed against my mouth, and I winced as her hot breath entered my mouth. I wrapped my arms around her waist, trying to lift her off of me.

In my peripheral vision, I saw a crowd gathered around Glimmer and I. Some looked confused, while others, like Cato and Clove, looked strangely pleased. I saw Katniss trying to break through the crowd, and the sight of her confused face motivated me more than anything.

I threw Glimmer off of me so hardly that she landed unceremoniously ten feet away. Her leg was twisted beneath her, and I saw that she was hurt. She glared at me through her welled-up tears, and I could tell I had really hurt her. Old Peeta would have been so guilty he wouldn't have slept all night, but all I could feel was satisfaction.

"I'm telling my uncle." She hissed through her pain. "You are in so much fucking trouble."

Marvel rushed to where Glimmer was sitting, and helped her up. She winced, and leaned on Marvel, who led her away. Cato and Clove gave me death glares, but ended up following Glimmer and Marvel.

The crowd disappeared, some giving me glares as they walked past, and some shrugging indifferently. I didn't care about any of them, and rushed to where Katniss stood a couple feet away.

"You have lipstick on your cheek." She informed me in a flat voice. I wiped it away with my hand, and looked up at Katniss to confirm that Glimmer's lipstick was gone.

"It's gone." She affirmed.

I nodded in thanks, and followed Katniss to her locker. "She kissed you, right?" She asked hesitantly as she opened her locker. Her voice faltered on the last word, and I caught the nervousness in her tone.

Katniss _cared_ that I another girl kissed me. We were definitely making progress.

"Yes. I didn't kiss her." I said firmly, making sure she heard the conviction in my voice.

"Look." Katniss began. "I was a bitch to you today. You didn't make me kiss you. I shouldn't be mad at you."

"It's ok, Katniss." I sighed, but deep down, I was happy that we were on speaking terms again. I subconsciously wondered how long until she yelled at me again.

_But how long can you put up with her mood swings, Peeta?_

Before I could say anymore, the intercom system in our school screeched to life. The thing barely worked, and I had only heard it come on a three times during my whole high school career. All I knew was that if the intercom came on, someone was in very deep trouble.

I had a bad feeling that it might be me this time.

Sure enough, a wheezy voice proclaimed "Peeta Mellark and Katniss Everdeen to the front office."

Katniss met my eyes, and I saw pure, raw fear in her eyes. I had never seen Katniss afraid before, and I didn't like it.

I reached out and tucked a strand of wayward hair behind her ear. "It will be fine." I reassured her.

"I'm scared." She admitted. "Glimmer is evil."

"If they ask, you didn't have anything to do with this whole mess." I told her firmly. "Do you hear me?"

"It's all my fault though." She whispered quietly.

"It doesn't matter." I insisted. "Just make Glimmer look really bad for me."

"I will." Katniss replied in a sincere tone, and I saw a glint of determination replace the fear in her eyes.

I was afraid I had laid it on too thick when I saw her expression. "Katniss…" I began hesitantly.

"Yeah, Peeta?" She asked, as I led us to the front office.

"The principal is Glimmer's uncle." I explained. "So be careful what you say."

"The odds are not in our favor, are they?" She asked glumly.

"I'm afraid not." I bristled at the unfairness of this all. "Snow probably wants my blood right now."

"Who?" Katniss asked curiously, brushing her hair out of her eyes and looking up at me.

"The principal." I answered in a whisper, because we had reached the office.

"Hello, can I help you?" The receptionist asked as we made our way to her.

"I'm Peeta Mellark, and this is Katniss Everdeen." I answered calmly. "We were called to the office."

"Ahh, yes." She gave us a tight smile of recognition. "Follow me, please."

Katniss and I had no choice but to oblige. We were led to a locked door with a plaque that read _Coriolanus__Snow, Principal_. There, the receptionist knocked on the locked door, and I heard some shuffling inside as the occupant stood to open the door.

The occupant turned out to be a man with a white beard and hair. His facial features were cruel, and his dark eyes were cold and unfriendly. He was at least seventy-five, and commanded an air of fear. I was immediately wary of him.

"Ahh, Mr. Mellark, correct?" He asked, shaking my hand firmly, and giving me a perfunctory smile. His eyes roamed over me, and I was self-conscious of his stare. He had the stare that made you think he could see right through you and into your very soul.

"Yes, sir." I replied submissively. Snow made me nervous, and I was too scared to say anything out of line.

"And the lovely Miss Everdeen." He shook Katniss's hand as well, and I saw her body stiffen as he touched her.

"Well, don't just stand there, come in." He said in a polite tone, making me feel like I was here for a friendly visit and not a potentially serious one.

Katniss and I warily took a seat on the overly luxurious red velvet seats in front of Snow's desk. They were so comfortable that I couldn't resist but sink into them and lay back. Katniss looked a little more guarded, sitting with her knees crossed and her hands twisted in her lap. She was perched on the edge of her chair and looked somewhat anxious.

Snow's office seemed to be dominantly red. Everything from the chairs to the cherry red mahogany table was a deep shade of blood red. My eyes instantly found a hand painted, framed picture of a single red rose behind Snow's desk. The artist in me snickered at the picture, because I was positive that I could draw a better one.

"Would you like some water?" Snow inquired in a calm voice, interrupting my examination of the room, as he proceeded to pour a glass for himself.

I answered for both Katniss and I. "No, thank you, sir."

"That won't do!" Snow cried in a falsely jovial tone. He turned to a cooler behind his desk, and took out two bottles of water, which he unscrewed and poured into glass cups. I watched silently as he put a small rose, stem and all, in each cup. They were blood red, and even from here, strangely strong smelling.

I took a cup politely, as did Katniss. We each took a sip at the same time, and I almost gagged on the water. I could swear that I could smell the very distinct smell of blood mingling on the roses, and from Katniss's repulsed expression, I knew she had smelled it too. I put the cup back on Snow's desk with shaky fingers.

_Who wants their water to smell like blood? And where did that blood come from?_

"Do you like my roses?" Snow asked, mistaking our revolted expressions. "I grow them in my own personal garden."

"Yes, they are lovely." I spoke for Katniss again when it became clear she wouldn't say anything.

Snow cleared his throat and took a sip of his own water. "Mr. Mellark, I heard a strange story today. Do you have any idea what it might be?"

"No, sir, I don't." I replied, forcing my voice to remain steady.

"My beloved niece, Glimmer, came to tell me that a boy is giving her problems." Snow began. "She explained that her longtime boyfriend, Peeta Mellark, cheated on her with another girl. Then Mr. Mellark tried to deny it, and he ensued to break up with Glimmer."

I nodded slightly, motioning for Snow to continue.

"And, I heard that this girl in question is none other than Miss Everdeen." Snow continued. In a failed attempt at humor, he joked, "I can see why you fell for her, Mr. Mellark."

"But what shameful behavior, Mr. Mellark." Snow sighed in a dramatic fashion after a couple moments. "I have heard so much great things about you and all your family. I am highly disappointed."

I didn't know what to say to this, so I just stared at the armrests on the chair mutely.

"I can think of only one rational explanation for this mess."

"Yes, Sir?" I asked calmly, shifting my eyes to my hands, and staring at them like they were the most fascinating thing on Earth.

"Correct me if I am wrong." Snow breathed out slowly. "You were so head over heels in love with this girl, Katniss, that you have no control over your less than courteous treatment of Glimmer."

I chanced half a glance over at Katniss, and saw that her features were quite composed. As I looked at her, she gave me half a nod without looking my way. I took the nod as permission to say the next words.

"Yes." I replied confidently, my heart hammering in my chest. "I am so in love with Katniss."

"Just as I thought." Snow smiled tightly in my direction. "And does Miss Everdeen return your feelings?"

Katniss hesitated for a fraction of a second before smiling in a very un-Katniss-like manner. "Yes, Mr. Snow." She giggled loudly, and I gaped at her. I had never heard Katniss _giggle. _It was so not her.

"What a beautiful love story." Snow took another sip of his water, which I hadn't touched since the first sip.

I reached for Katniss's hand from my chair, and held it to my lips for a brief moment. She smiled sweetly at me, and batted her long eyelashes. I tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, and we heard a sigh coming from Snow.

"Now, how could I punish the two of you for being in love?" Snow murmured. "It just isn't right!"

I felt hope grow in my chest. "Thank you, sir." I smiled for the first time, and stroked Katniss's hand reassuringl, trying to reassure her that all would be fine.

"Mr. Mellark, the only emotion that is stronger than fear is hope." Snow began. "And I'd like to give you some hope."

Katniss and I nodded in unison, not knowing what to say to this ambiguous statement.

"But hope must be contained." Snow whispered, his voice taking on a raspy quality. "So, I think a punishment is in order, no matter how much I don't want to give it."

My heart sank to somewhere in the region of my stomach. I nodded wordlessly for Snow to continue.

"Three weeks of detention, every day after school, Mr. Mellark."

My heart sank even lower as Snow read my fate. I've never hated Glimmer more in my life. She put me in this mess.

"I will tell Miss Hayes of all we have talked of here once she is feeling better. She took a nasty fall." Snow shook his head in mock concern.

"That's too bad." I consoled, trying to inflict sympathy in my words. "I hope she recovers quickly."

"As do I, Mr. Mellark." Snow took another long sip of his rose water. "She will do much better with Marvel, don't you agree?"

"Yes, I agree." I gave him a fake smile. "Marvel and Glimmer look happy together."

"Yes, they do. Almost as happy as you and Miss Everdeen."

"I'm sure it will work wonderfully for everyone." Katniss smiled sweetly, obviously trying to get the message across that we wanted to leave.

"Mr. Mellark, one more moment." Snow seemed to sense my urgency to leave. "I'm not done quite yet."

"I'm sorry, Sir." I hated Snow even more than Glimmer now, if possible.

"Convince me." Snow sneered at Katniss and me.

"Of what?" I inquired rudely. I was fed up with Snow, and Snow seemed to notice, because his white eyebrows arched slightly.

"Think of yourselves as star-crossed lovers, together at last." Snow sneered. "Until Glimmer comes into the equation and messes things up _again_."

My heart sank even lower as I realized the hidden meaning behind Snow's words. Glimmer was in no way giving up on her plan to torture Katniss and I.

I think this might be the worse five minutes of my life so far.

I simply held Katniss's warm hand more tightly and tried not to let my dread show through. I waited on Snow to continue with his little speech of torture. "I have eyes everywhere, Mr. Mellark. If Glimmer is upset with you for any reason, you will hear from me. And I won't be so generous next time."

I tried to look unfazed by his words. "Of course, Sir."

"Convince me." Snow smiled, and delicately placed his rose in a small vase.

"Thank you, Sir." I whispered, feeling the impact of our visit. The only thing I had going for me was that Katniss wasn't in trouble.

"Now leave." Snow ordered. "But Miss Everdeen, if you will stay for a moment."

I didn't move from my seat, and stared determinately at Snow. "Whatever you say to her you can say in front of me." I retorted icily.

"As a matter of fact, I can't, Mr. Mellark." Snow glared at me. "Now leave."

I left, but made a big show of walking to the door as slowly as I could. Once the door was securely locked after me, I heard Snow's voice, but couldn't make out his words.

For the second time that day, I leaned on a wall and waited for Katniss.

She emerged from Snow's office a couple minutes later. I stared at her expectantly, but she shook her head slightly. "Let's get out of here first."

I didn't need to be told twice. I grabbed Katniss's hand, and practically ran to the parking lot. Our bodies were taut with fear and moved with a sense of urgency. My heart was still beating rather quickly from the visit with Snow.

Once we were safely in my car, I turned to face Katniss. "What did he say to you?"

"He told me…" Katniss hesitated, and I reassuringly patted her hand and smiled for her to continue.

Katniss began again. "He said something about agreeing not to lie to each other."

"What does he mean by that?" I asked, suspecting the worst, just because it was Snow.

"He knows I don't feel the same way as you do." She replied bluntly. I knew she wasn't trying to hurt me, but it still hurt.

"Katniss, it doesn't matter." I practically begged her as I put my hurt aside for the moment. "Snow can't make you like anyone."

Once we got to Katniss's apartment complex, I grabbed Katniss's arm and turned her to face me. "Just tell me one thing."

She nodded for me to continue, looking surprised at the sudden urgency in my voice.

"Could you love me, really love me, someday?" I asked, cutting right to the point. "Not for Snow, not for Glimmer, but for me. Would you do that for me?"

Katniss stared at me for a long moment. She opened her mouth, as if to speak, but closed it shut again.

"Katniss?" I coaxed her gently. "Answer me please."

Katniss shook her head and turned, walking away from me and to her house. She didn't turn around or glance behind her once.

My heart shattered into a million broken pieces.

* * *

I was having a typical afternoon. My typical afternoons consisted of attempting to do homework with music turned on in my locked room. Most of my homework attempts are thwarted by a drawing that I feel like I just need to finish.

This afternoon, I was working on one of Katniss. She was on a long, vast beach, her loose hair flowing behind her in the ocean breeze. As always when I drew her, I wondered if she knew how beautiful she really was.

My phone let out an annoying beep, so I reached over to grab it. When I saw an unopened message from Katniss, I got excited. I always get excited when she texts me.

_When do you want to start the project? I've been reading through the syllabus, and it's actually very long and time-consuming. _

I felt my heart leap in excitement. Of course, this project was enjoyable for me because I'd get to spend time alone with Katniss. So, for more than the reason of saving my English grade, I replied.

_**How about this weekend? Better start early. **_

She responded a moment later. _Saturday, my house, at two?_

_**Sounds perfect. **_

I was so excited that I found I didn't have the peace of mind required to draw. I put my pencils and the drawing away and climbed down the stairs, thinking I could get a snack or watch some TV.

Before I could do any of the above activities, the doorbell rang. Mother must have heard me come down, because she poked her head out of the kitchen. "Peeta, get the door, please. I'm making dinner."

"Sure, Mom." I smiled, and she retreated into the kitchen as I headed for the front door.

I opened the door to find an unwelcome guest. It was Glimmer, and a very angry looking Glimmer at that.

"Oh, hello, Peeta." She sighed dramatically. "Please can I come in, my leg is bothering me so much!"

_Great. And her leg probably doesn't even hurt. What an actor. And I get in trouble. _

Instead, I plastered a smile on my face, and led Glimmer to a couch. She made a big show of settling down and propping her "injured" leg up on the table.

"I took quite a fall." She smiled sweetly. "Marvel wanted me to go to the hospital, but I refused."

"I'm sure you'll be better in no time." I gritted out through clenched teeth.

"Thank you for your concern, Peeta." She batted her fake eyelashes at me. Unlike when Katniss did this same action in Snow's room earlier, I didn't find it the least bit attractive now.

"What brings you here, Glimmer?" I asked as politely as I could. "Shouldn't you be home resting?"

"Yes, but, I told Marvel to stop by your house for just a minute." She responded. "I just want to talk to you really quickly."

"Go ahead." I replied, turning myself so I was facing Glimmer.

"I talked to my Uncle." She began. "And he told me about Peeta and Katniss's _love story."_

"Yes." I said. I figured that if I stuck to monosyllables, this conversation would go by faster.

"I know that you lied to my Uncle."

"No, I didn't. I really do love Katniss." I stated sincerely.

"Let me make myself clearer." Glimmer took a deep breath. "I know _Katniss_ is lying."

I had nothing to say to Glimmer. Katniss had told me herself that she didn't return my feelings.

"So, I want to make a deal with you." Glimmer snickered.

"Ok." I replied carefully, not wanting to agree to anything quite yet.

"Just help me get Cato and Clove to break up." She whispered, her eyes lighting up manically. "Remember that your fate rests in my hands. If you don't do what I want, Snow hears."

"What would you tell him?" I lowered my voice so Prim wouldn't hear from the den across the living room.

"That's a secret, Peeta." Glimmer sneered. "You don't want me to spoil the fun, do you?"

I ignored her ribbing and continued on. "Why do you want to break Cato and Clove up?"

I had a good idea where this was going, though.

"I want Cato." She replied, confirming my suspicions. "Just do something."

"And if I don't agree?"

"Then I tell my uncle." Glimmer responded with an evil smile.

Either way I looked at this, I saw no way out. So, I did the stupidest thing I probably could. "Ok, I'll help you. But say I fail?"

"Then you've made yourself an enemy."

"Fine. I'll talk to Cato tomorrow at practice." I was disgusted with myself. How could I agree to this?

"You made the right choice, Peeta." Glimmer moaned as she slowly got to her feet. "And I won't forget."

She hobbled her way out of the house, and I slammed the door behind her. I headed straight to my room and reached for my phone to text Katniss.

_I need to talk to you now. Can I meet you somewhere quiet?_

I was so agitated that it seemed to me that it took her ages to respond. I knew it was only a minute or two, but it felt like centuries.

_**Katniss:**__ My mom is asleep. You can come, she won't care. _

_Ok, I'll be there in ten minutes. _

_**Katniss: **__Alright._

I kicked on a pair of shoes and headed downstairs to leave. "Mom, I'll be back soon!" I called out, as I headed to where my keys lay near the TV.

"Peeta, don't be too late!" Mom called. "We're having dinner in an hour!"

"Ok, I'll be quick." I called out as I grabbed my keys and headed out.

* * *

"Can I talk to you?" I whispered as I walked into the door of Katniss's apartment. It was small but tidy, but not very homey. There was very little furniture, just a TV, couch, and a table with two chairs.

"I'm assuming that's why you came." Katniss joked sarcastically.

"Yeah, stupid question." I felt my ears heat up and go red, as always when I was embarrassed or put on the spot.

"My mom is sleeping in her room." Katniss replied as she led me to her room. "She won't wake up, don't worry."

Katniss stepped into her room, and I noticed it was just as sparsely furnished. There was a bed, a wardrobe for her clothes, and a small desk. I tried not to pity Katniss and her family life, because I knew she would hate it.

"What about your father?" I asked. "Is he at work?"

Katniss stared at me with her mouth gaping open slightly. I could tell from the hurt look in her eyes that I had crossed an invisible boundary and hurt her. "I'm sorry." I whispered as I sat down as close to her as I dared on the bed.

"It's alright, you didn't know." Katniss attempted a weak smile. "My dad died when I was twelve."

"I'm sorry." I said again, because I didn't know what else to say. The tension in the room had shot up at my question, and I sat somewhat awkwardly as I waited for Katniss to continue.

"It's ok, Peeta." Katniss crossed her legs underneath her and asked "So what do I owe the pleasure of your company to?"

I felt my heart clench in pleasure at her words, but I ignored it. "Glimmer." I responded. I didn't need to say anything else for her to understand.

Katniss's eyes lit up in comprehension. "She came to see you, right?"

"Yeah." I took a deep breath before continuing. "She wants me to help her go out with Cato."

"She's such a… bitch." Katniss responded slowly. "Ignore her."

"I can't." I countered desperately.

"Why? What's the worst she can do, Peeta?" Katniss glared at me.

"Tell Snow, and then I'll be screwed. I can't make her angry, or Snow hears about it." I whispered quietly as I averted my eyes from hers. I didn't want to see the look in her eyes.

"Look, I won't let her do this!" Katniss raised her voice, and I was surprised. I'd never heard Katniss scream. She must be _really_ mad. "She can't control your life, or mine for that matter!"

"I can't tell her that!" I contended anxiously, as I thought of evil plans hatched by Glimmer and Snow.

The fight left Katniss's body, and she fell back on the bed again. "Forget about that bitch." Katniss sighed. "I won't let her get her way."

"Katniss, thanks, but you don't know Glimmer." I despaired. "She'll get her way."

"Forget about her!" She screeched loudly. "I promise she won't get her way. We'll get through this together."

"Together?" I breathed out quietly, not daring to believe I'd heard her right.

"Yes. Together. I'll help you." Katniss's cheeks flushed pink, obviously from embarrassment. But all I could feel was a weightless feeling of ecstasy.

_Together. Together. Together. Together…_

"Thanks. You have no idea how much this means to me." I murmured. I didn't deserve her, not by a long shot.

Katniss flushed even more in response, and didn't answer me. We lay on her bed, side by side, not quite touching, in companionable silence for what felt like a long time. My mind drifted to pleasant thoughts of Katniss and I, and I didn't dare break the harmony.

"Yes." Katniss murmured some time later, so quietly that I almost didn't hear her, even though I lay mere inches away from her.

"What?" I enquired, thoroughly confused. What was she talking about?

"In answer to your question earlier, when you dropped me off." Katniss tore at the loose strands on her comforter in her anxiety. "I could love you, for real."

"Then nothing else matters." I whispered, reaching for her hand. She squeezed it with her own, and I rubbed small circles on the back of her hand.

"Peeta." Katniss sighed out my name, her voice laced with content and pleasure.

"Yeah, Katniss?" I turned on my side, and played with the ends of her hair. She didn't protest or push me away, and I felt myself relax in her presence. She turned her head to face me, and I looked into her silvery eyes.

"I think I… can love you… soon." Katniss breathed out, gazing into my eyes the whole time. "I'm sorry I'm not ready yet."

"Don't apologize, Katniss. You're perfect to me."

"I don't want this to be an act." Katniss looked at me urgently, desperate to get her point across. "I want to love you on my own terms, not Snow or Glimmer's."

For the first time in months, I felt like everything in the world was going right. As long as I was with her, everything was right.

"I love you, Katniss Everdeen." I murmured through a wide grin. "_Always."_

* * *

_So, yeah, I took a risk with this chapter. I'm really sorry if you didn't like the direction I took with this chapter, but I thought it was best. _

_So… next chapter is a surprise. We see a bit more of Glimmer, but she's out of the picture for a little bit. But the surprise comes in an Everlark moment that is just making me "awww" thinking about it. After all, it would be no fun if Katniss told Peeta she loved him in his POV. We have to see what's running through that crazy head of hers. :)_

_I know the title of this story has been confusing so far. I promise you'll understand the title starting in the next chapter._

_Let me know what you thought of the chapter, and the introduction of Snow. You didn't think Snow wouldn't be in the story, did you? :)_

_Reviews are little pieces of love. Leave one, ok? (And thanks for forty-five plus reviews for chapter 6! That's a new record!) _

_See you on Friday (maybe earlier!) _

_Much love, Glitter 3_


	9. Chapter 8: Katniss

**~Sketching Out Our Love~**

**~Chapter 8~**

_Hi everyone! _

_I've been thinking about my update schedule, and I realize that a week is too long to wait for a new chapter. I feel so bad, but I can't update every three days either. So, I've come up with a solution that I think everyone will agree on (I hope, at least.) _

_So, my solution is this: __**If you leave a review, I will PM you a preview of the next chapter to tide you over until I update. The preview will be about 300-500 words, depending on where I decide to cut it, and you'll get it the day you review. Sounds good, everyone? :)**_

_I like this idea because it allows me to respond to all your reviews and thank you one by one, or answer any questions. It really means a lot to me that you review. _

_**As always, a huge thank you to my wonderful beta, choclate love! She is simply amazing, making the story practically error-free and sorting through my mess. :)**_

_Ok, that's all for now! If I remember something else, I'll put it at the end. :)_

_Enjoy!_

***Katniss POV***

I had come to the conclusion that I hate New York, or more particularly, New York weather.

It was freezing compared to California, and I found myself yearning for long sunny days spent at the beach. All week, the weather had been in the fifties, and I was miserable. Not only was it cold, but it was also cloudy, and occasionally rainy.

When I awoke to the sixth straight day of clouds and artic cold winds, I moaned in misery. I knew that to most people it wasn't cold right now, but I was wearing two jackets and jeans. My classmates still walked around in short sleeves or a light jacket, but I couldn't fathom how they did it. Just yesterday, Clove had shown up to school in a tank top and jeans.

For all I knew, I could be in Antarctica right now.

The fact that it was Wednesday only added to my miserable mood. Wednesday meant visits with Cinna after school, and that meant that I would have to _talk_. Wednesday also meant halfway through the week, and the way that the beginning of the week had been going, I didn't have much hope for the rest of the week.

I made my way to the kitchen to find Mother already awake, which was surprising. Usually, she was still in bed when I went to school. I didn't know what to make of this, so I went about my normal morning schedule as if she wasn't even there.

I silently prepared a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal while Mother sipped coffee from a steaming pink mug. I considered eating while standing, but I ended up pulling the chair opposite Mother and sitting mutely. I ate my meal in hurried silence, and didn't glance Mother's way.

Just as I was standing up, Mother looked up and smiled very slightly. It couldn't even be called smiling, more like a ghost of a smile.

"Katniss, sit down." I jumped a little at her voice out of surprise. It had been so long since I'd heard Mother talk that her voice sounded foreign to me now.

She motioned for me to take a seat as I continued to stare at her in confusion. I did sit down after a second, but looked at her warily. I pursued my lips together tightly, and waited for her to say something. After an awkward silence, it became obvious that I wouldn't speak first, so Mother took the incentive.

"I know I haven't been there for you very much." Mother began hesitantly, fiddling with her pink coffee mug.

_Now that's the understatement of the year._

"Really? I didn't notice." I replied caustically, making no effort to hide my sarcasm.

"But I am your mother. I'm going try to make up for the past." She continued. "I can't change the past, but I'm going to try to learn from it."

"Do you think it's that easy?" I hissed as anger bubbled inside me. "Do you think an apology will fix all your wrongs?"

"No, but I want us to start over." Mother said gently. "That's why we came here to New York in the first place."

"You left me to starve." I furiously whispered. "I would've starved if Gale and his family didn't check in on me and make sure I had food to eat!"

"Forgive me." She begged. "I wasn't right after your father's death! There was nothing I could do."

"Excuses." I croaked. "I didn't give up when Gale died."

I omitted the parts about wishing Gale was still alive, the homesickness, and the confusion with Peeta. When you thought about it, I was as messed up as Mother. But of course my pride wouldn't let me utter those thoughts out loud and admit it.

"Everyone deals with loss differently."

I glared at her silently, willing the tears to not spill. I wouldn't let her see how hurt I am. When Father died, and my mother wasted away in front of my very eyes, I had almost lost all hope. Almost, but not completely. Gale had literally saved my life in every sense of the word.

"You're like your father. You were always so strong." Mother mused. "He'd be proud of you."

That last statement did it. Mother didn't know what Father would think because he was dead. I didn't want to hear her try to figure out my father's nonexistent thoughts.

I whipped on my heel and stormed out of the house, ignoring the sound of her tears as she wept. I was tempted to release my own tears, but I held them in. I was stronger than Mother.

Not two minutes after I began walking to school, it began to lightly drizzle rain. It started out slow, but by the time I had reached school, it was flat-out raining and I was soaked to the bone. My teeth chattered as I wrung the end of my braid out, and wiped the water off my face.

I could now add two other reasons to the long list of why today would be a horrible day.

* * *

I've been sitting with Annie at lunch since the day Peeta had introduced us. When Peeta had broken up with Glimmer, he also began sitting by us. It was mostly a quiet affair, just the way I liked it. Annie didn't pry, nor did she nag me to gossip with her. Peeta, of course, was Peeta, so it was a little louder than I wanted.

Still, it was a thankful change from Glimmer and her drama. Glimmer was firmly avoiding Peeta and me, but we did get the occasional glare or smirk from her. Peeta was still serving detentions after school, and he wouldn't be done until next week. I felt bad every single time he went to serve the detention time after school. Mostly because I felt like all of this was my fault. If I hadn't shown up, then Peeta would still be happy with Glimmer.

_No, Katniss. Peeta wasn't happy with Glimmer. He said he's hated her for ages. _

The thought that Peeta didn't like Glimmer as much as he had let on made me strangely happy. I had tried to figure out why this was so, and came up with the idea that maybe I liked Peeta more than I let on.

But I wouldn't let myself think like that. I had no room for love in my life.

Falling for a boy was a completely new experience for me. I was so scared of what would end up happening that I was trying to stall the inevitable in any way possible. But even I knew that I couldn't avoid my feelings for Peeta forever.

"Katniss, did you hear me?" Peeta waved a hand in front of my face, and I blushed as I realized he had been talking to me.

"Where were you?" He teased lightly. His hair was more unruly than usual today, and that was saying something, because Peeta's hair was always messy. The urge to reach out and try to tame the locks was almost irresistible.

I shook my head to clear my thoughts. . "Just thinking." I replied. It wasn't a lie, I had been thinking, just not about what he assumed.

"About?" Peeta pressed on, his voice thicker than usual because of the hamburger he had stuffed in his mouth. I couldn't help but roll my eyes.

"Nothing." I snapped, annoyed by his persistence.

Peeta held up two cookies wrapped in clear plastic, waving it in front of my face. I understood his point in an instant.

"Are you bribing me?" I arched an eyebrow at him in disbelief.

"Yep. Now, tell me." He demanded imperiously. He raised his blonde eyebrows expectantly, and sat with his hands folded on the table, giving me his full attention.

I couldn't help but giggle at him. He looked so amusing when he was being focused.

"What, you think this is funny?" Peeta glared at me, but I could see a smile tugging at his lips.

"I have faster reflexes." I stretched for the cookies, but Peeta slipped them out of my way easily.

"I didn't spend four years on the football team for nothing, Sweetheart."

I bristled at the affectionate term, and it was Peeta's turn to laugh at me. I felt my annoyance with him dissolve into thin air. As hard as I tried to stay mad at Peeta, it was impossible. Not with the way he brought me cookies.

I used the fact that Peeta was distracted to my advantage. Without him even realizing it, I had slipped the cookies towards me. I quickly unwrapped the plastic and bit into the first one. Chocolate chip, yum.

I had eaten half of the first cookie before Peeta even realized the cookies were gone. He looked up at me in mock anger, and I felt myself laughing.

Only Peeta could make me laugh when I was feeling this shitty. The thought was completely appalling.

"Try to get them!" I challenged Peeta as I stuffed the last part of the cookie in my mouth and leaped off the bench. Annie stared at me in amusement as I ran out of the cafeteria with Peeta on my heels.

Peeta caught up with me and trapped me up against a row of lockers. "Got you." He whispered proudly as he took a bite of the second cookie that I still held in my hand.

"What are you going to do with me now that you've got me?" I asked as I held the cookie out of his reach.

"Keep you." His eyes sparkled with happiness, and I couldn't help but stare. My tongue felt all twisted up in knots. The proximity of his eyes had caught me completely off-guard.

"You have the most beautiful eyes." I murmured softly, a blush heating across my cheeks.

"They're boring." Peeta smiled and shrugged. "I'd rather have grey eyes like yours."

"No, _mine_ are boring." I responded. "I can't believe you don't like your eyes."

"I don't like my appearance very much." He shrugged indifferently. "Blonde hair, blue eyes, it's just so typical."

"I don't think so." I whispered. "I think you are extremely handsome."

_Did I just say that? I can't believe I just said that. _

Peeta's eyes were absolutely glowing now. They put the most valuable of sapphires to shame. "I think you're hallucinating. You must be thinking of someone else."

"Definitely not." I took a bit of the second cookie and moaned in pleasure. "What flavor is this?" I asked curiously.

"Snickerdoodles." Peeta replied with a grin, his cheeks reddening. "Do you like them?"

"I've always loved your cookies and breads." I rolled my eyes at his lack of confidence.

"So, do you think we should start selling them at the bakery?" He smiled. "You're the first to try this recipe."

"Of course! I'd buy a dozen from you every day!" I exclaimed, licking the crumbs off my fingers to make my point.

Peeta laughed, and my heart lifted at the sound. I loved the sound of his laugh. Come to think of it, I couldn't come up with one thing I didn't like about Peeta.

_Maybe I don't like the fact that he was so hard to hate. _

"Let's get out of here." Peeta smiled, and I stared at him, not understanding. It took me a second to realize what he meant, and I was shocked. Peeta didn't seem like the type of person who would ditch.

"Like, ditching?" I asked incredulously.

"Yes." Peeta rolled his eyes at my shock. "Do you really want to stay here for three more hours?"

"Well, when you put it that way…" I grinned. "Let's go!"

"Let's sign out first though." Peeta whispered. "I still have detentions, and I don't want more."

"Smart." I drawled sarcastically, as we walked to the office.

"Thanks." Peeta grinned widely, and I felt my stomach do a somersault.

_He has no idea the effect he has on me. _

"Hi, what can I do for you?" The receptionist questioned. She had a kind heart shaped face, and I found myself liking her right away_. _I realized she was the same lady who was in here when Snow called us to his office, but I hadn't been paying much attention to her then because I'd been so nervous.

"Katniss isn't feeling very well today." Peeta explained. "I need to take her home, because I don't want her walking home in this rain."

"Of course, dear." The woman's facial features softened and I caught her staring at me. I pretended to put on a wince and clutch at my stomach. "Just sign here."

Peeta took the pen from her and signed quickly, and handed it to me. I neatly wrote my name in the blank, and gave the pen back.

"Look." Peeta pulled his jacket on as we walked outside. It was still raining, but not as hard as earlier. "That's how you do it."

"Fine, Mr. Know-It-All." I tried to keep my face stern, but I failed and cracked a smile. "Where are we going?"

"A date." He ran a hand through his tousled blonde locks in an unsuccessful attempt to smooth them out. He looked so nonchalant that I was tempted to slap him.

I choked on all the insults I was planning to throw his way. "What?" I croaked out in between coughs as I glared at him. "Who do you think you are?"

"Just get in." Peeta rolled his eyes. "You can complain afterwards."

"No, I won't." I crossed my arms over my chest and planted my feet solidly on the ground.

Peeta glanced at me with amusement and crossed the few feet between us. Before I knew what was happening, Peeta had slung me over one shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"Damn you, Peeta Mellark!" I screeched from my upside-down vantage point. "Put me down this instant!"

Peeta only chuckled and walked faster. He carried me like I weighed fifty pounds and not a hundred plus. I pounded his chest and tried to wriggle out of his arms, but all that accomplished was to make me realize how muscular Peeta really was. I doubted I could wrap both my hands around his biceps.

Peeta dumped me in the passenger seat, and turned to the driver's side. I tried to open the door and make my escape, but he had locked it from the outside, and I was stuck.

"Take me back to school." I demanded curtly once he was in the car.

"Not happening." Peeta reversed out of the parking spot, and I caught a look of pride in his face.

"I'd rather be at school than be on a date with you!" I yelled angrily. I didn't mean a single word of that, and Peeta seemed to know. I officially hated him.

Peeta only laughed harder, and his ringing laughter suddenly made me furious. "What are you laughing at? This isn't funny!"

"You're going on a date with me, Sweetheart." Peeta slowed down and stopped for a red light. "After we're done you can tell me you didn't like it."

I glared at him. Peeta knew that after the date, there wouldn't be any fight left in me. I would want another date afterwards, just like how I wanted another kiss. But I was just too stubborn to admit that I did like him.

"You're too stubborn." Peeta sighed as he turned into the freeway and sped up to match the speed limit.

_Could this idiot seriously read my mind? _

Peeta grinned at the flabbergasted look on my face. "Did I just read your mind? Is that why you're mad?"

_Yes, he can seriously read my mind. _

"No. I'm mad because you had the nerve to take me on a surprise date." It wasn't a lie, because I really mad at him for that. It was more like a partial lie.

"Liar." Peeta chuckled. "Now, what type of food do you like?"

"Cookies." I replied before I could stop myself. When I realized I had backed down and talked to Peeta, I inwardly slapped myself.

"One for Peeta, zero for Katniss." Peeta muttered proudly. I crossed my hands over my chest and huffed angrily.

"Shut up." I glared at me with as much venom as I could muster up.

"If looks could kill." Peeta sighed, and shook his head slowly. I caught a trace of a small smile on his lips.

_Did he ever stop smiling?_

"You have absolutely no idea." I muttered under my breath.

"Scary." Peeta shivered in mock fear, and I rolled my eyes.

He is officially an idiot, and I decide to tell him. "Peeta?" I question.

"Yeah?" He makes a left turn to wherever the hell we are going. I have absolutely no idea where we are, so I am completely trusting Peeta right now.

_Wait, I trust him? _Now things seem so much more complicated than they had been just a second ago. I think I might be having a minor panic-attack.

"Katniss?" Peeta inquired as the silence stretched on I didn't respond. I jumped out of my trance, and Peeta stared at me strangely. "Cat got your tongue?"

I gasped at his choice of words. This was a phrase that Gale and I had always joked around with, and of all the things he could've said, he chose _that_.

It was as if Gale had been in the car speaking the words, not Peeta. I felt like I had been transported to a different time and place, and a feeling of déjà vu overtook me. My heart got that broken, empty feeling that I now associated with remembrances of Gale, and I couldn't stop the flow of memories. The tears pooled in my eyes when I remember how Gale's deep voice would rasp at the end of the question, and the last time he had uttered this phrase was burned in the back of my mind forever.

"_Katniss." Gale paused to get a lungful of air. _

"_Gale, quiet." I had whispered, leaning over and stroking his cheek. I rested a finger to his lips, and I felt him kiss it softly. The effort it had taken him to speak and been scaring me, and I wanted him to save his breath for more important things, like staying alive._

"_No." He whispered determinately. "The doctors said… I'm… dying." _

_He had to pause and hold the oxygen mask to his nose three separate times during this short five letter speech. I yearned to tell Gale that he wouldn't die, but Gale wasn't a fool. I knew he wouldn't believe me. I didn't even believe myself. _

_Instead, I held onto his thin bandaged hand like it was a lifeline. In a way, it was. _

"_Cat got your tongue?" He had rasped several minutes later when the silence had dragged on. _

_Even in that dark time, I couldn't help but laugh. Gale could always make me laugh, no matter what the situation. _

_I remembered whispering "I love you" to him right before the nurse came in to give him his nightly dose of medicine. _

_Right before his painkillers kicked in and carried him off to sleep, away from me forever, he had whispered, "I love you, Katniss." _

_That was the last time he was ever conscious. _

"Katniss? Are you ok?" Peeta took one of his hands off the wheel to stroke my fingers. The concern in his eyes was evident, and I felt the tears flow down my face, unchecked. I made no attempt to stop my tears or try and hide them from Peeta.

"Katniss?" Peeta stared at me in shock, obviously worried at my sudden breakdown. "What's wrong?"

I felt him pull over and put the car in park. I vaguely sensed that he was pushing his seat backwards, and then I felt myself being settled in his lap. I didn't protest, or try to struggle my way out of his arms. They felt safe and reassuring and I wanted to feel safe right now.

He didn't ask any questions while I cried myself out. Peeta stroked my hair gently, and whispered soft comforting nothings in my ear. Even though I felt so terribly selfish for crying over another man in Peeta's arms, I did it. I could deal with the guilt later.

"I'm sorry." I whispered once the tears had slowed down a little. I looked down and noticed I'd ruined his shirt with my tears, and the blame flared up again. "I ruined your shirt."

"I don't care about the shirt." Peeta readjusted me so that I was forced to look up at him. "Will you tell me something, though?"

"Anything." I replied, putting as much honesty as I could in the word. He deserved the truth from me after all the time I'd spent hiding from him.

"Why are you crying?"

I took a deep breath. I wasn't ready to have this conversation, so I simply said, "Can you take me home please?"

"Why? Did I do something wrong?" Peeta questioned, his brow wrinkled in confusion. I couldn't help but reach out and smooth his creased forehead. He caught my hand and squeezed it tightly with my own.

"I don't feel well. You told the receptionist I feel sick, and I do feel sick." The tears started flowing again, but because I was afraid he'd get angry, not because of Gale.

"Why are you avoiding me?" Peeta looked at me steadily. He didn't look angry, but more like he wanted to understand my fluctuating emotions.

"I'm not avoiding you!" I buried my face in his shirt, so he wouldn't see my distraught expression.

"Yes, you are." Peeta responded calmly. I didn't understand why he wasn't throwing me out of the car, though. I was being mean, cold, unreachable Katniss and he didn't deserve it.

"I just need to go home. I promise we'll talk later." I felt overwhelmed as images of Gale started to cloud my mind, but I fought to remain composed.

"Fine, I'll take you." Peeta glared at me, his face red with anger. It occurred to me that this was the first time I'd seen Peeta angry at me, and I didn't like it. I wanted to take all my hateful words back, but I didn't know how to.

He pushed me out of his lap, and into the passenger seat. I immediately felt the loss of his warmth. The selfish part of me wanted him back, but I knew that it wouldn't be right of me to ask that.

"About time. You shouldn't argue with me." I replied bluntly instead. I forced my face to be as expressionless as possible, because I didn't want Peeta to know I was hurting on the inside.

"You didn't have to come, you know." Peeta told me coldly. His blue eyes stared down at me hardly, and I missed his friendly smiles. There was nowhere else I'd rather be than in Peeta's arms, and I'd just destroyed any hope for us.

"Fine." I sighed. "I'll make sure not to bother you again."

"You do that." Peeta parked at the apartment. "Just leave now."

I didn't need to be told twice. I gathered my backpack, and pushed myself out of his car and onto the street. "Bye." I whispered, realizing the meaning behind the word. _Bye._

"Katniss." Peeta took a deep breath before continuing. "Just go. I'm so confused about everything."

I felt my heart sink at his words. "Now that you see how fucked up I am, you're going to chicken out and leave me, right? I knew this would happen!"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Peeta stared at me in shock. "Katniss, you push me away, not the other way around!"

Before I could stop myself, I craned my neck through the car window and pressed my lips to his. I wanted to show him how much I needed him in my life, but I was no good with words. So I did the only other thing I could think of. He seemed to have gotten the message, so I guess I did something right.

When we broke apart, it took me a moment to catch my breath. Peeta muttered. "Now you've kissed me twice, and I haven't even kissed you yet."

"I need you in my life. You make me feel whole again." I blurted out, trying to make him understand. "I trust you, a lot. I want to return your feelings."

"I'm not leaving you." He smiled softly. "I need you too. In a way, I'm just as messed-up as you are."

"We make a great pair, don't we?" I asked shakily, a smile finding its way to my lips.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Peeta smiled, and I found myself grinning back. "Go rest now. I'll see you later."

I blushed when I realized that Peeta was giving me another chance. He'd given me so many chances and I'd botched all of them up. "Sorry." I muttered as I extricated myself from his car and fixed my tangled braid as best as I could.

"Katniss, I love you." Peeta rolled his amazing eyes at me.

"I like you a lot." I whispered slowly as I felt my cheeks heat up. I walked away quickly, before I could change my mind and run back in the car.

_I think I love him, _I thought shakily. It was a terrifying thought, but I was strangely excited to love Peeta.

* * *

The moment I stepped in the apartment after Peeta had dropped me off, I realized I had an appointment with Cinna in thirty minutes. I didn't feel like going, but I managed to talk myself into it. Five minutes later, I had a hoodie on and I was walking out of the front door.

I arrived at Cinna's office ten minutes late. The receptionist was by now used to my scowls and lack of manners by now, so she just pursued her lips in a tight line and led me to Cinna's office.

"Hello, Katniss." Cinna greeted me in his usual calm manner, and I felt some of my stress from the day roll off me. "How are you today?"

I shook my head silently, and Cinna nodded. "Don't feel like talking today, Katniss?"

"No. I definitely do not feel like talking today." I replied in a steely voice.

"Why?" Cinna hastily scribbled a few notes down on his clipboard and looked up at me.

I thought of how much or how little I should tell Cinna. I didn't feel like talking, but maybe talking would relieve me. "I'm confused, Cinna."

"About?" He probed me gently.

"Peeta, and Gale." I sighed. Whenever I tried to think of Peeta and Gale simultaneously, I always ended up having a min brain aneurysm.

"What's wrong with Peeta and Gale?" Cinna asked calmly. I think he sensed that I might have a meltdown very soon, so he tried to ask me step by step.

"I miss Gale, but not like I used to at the beginning." I replied honestly. "But now, I feel like being with Peeta is still too much."

"You need time." Cinna responded patiently. "Peeta sounds like a very nice young man, and he'll wait until you are ready."

"But I want to like him, Cinna." I whispered in shame. "I'm so selfish, right?"

"No, Katniss, you aren't selfish." Cinna smiled reassuringly, and I felt my heart lift. "Have you tried telling Peeta how you feel?"

"He doesn't even know about Gale." I mumbled. "I didn't tell him, because talking about Gale is hard."

"You have to tell him." Cinna said flatly. "If you want him to trust you, you have to trust him too."

"I don't trust easily." I explained. "What if I tell Peeta about Gale, and he runs away because he sees how fucked up I am?"

I normally wouldn't cuss around an adult, but Cinna was different. Sure enough, he didn't even blink at my word choice. "If he's worth it, he won't leave."

"Are you sure?" I asked in a low whisper, not daring to believe Cinna.

"Yes, I am." Cinna replied simply. "Now, has Peeta ever told you that he loves you?"

"Yes." I replied, a faint smile making its way to my lips. "But I've never said it back- out loud, at least."

"What is your definition of love?" Cinna asked lightly, as if he was asking me about the weather.

I thought for a couple moments before answering. "When you can't imagine life without the other person."

"Why do you say that?" Cinna enquired thoughtfully, staring at me like I'd grown three heads.

"Because I can't imagine myself without Peeta." I stated. "My life is unimaginable without him."

"And Gale? Do you love him?" Cinna pushed. His eyes were hard with an emotion I couldn't quite pinpoint.

"I can imagine my life without him." I answered quietly. "I can live without him."

The words were true, but they ate at my heart. I didn't want to face the truth. Peeta already meant more to me than Gale. Losing Peeta was unconceivable.

The rest of the meeting went by quickly, and I couldn't remember much of it. But when I left, the words that stuck with me were _if he's worth it, he won't leave._

I took the long way home, just so I could have some time to think and figure out what my feelings for Peeta really were. By the end of the walk, I hadn't come to any conclusion on what my feelings for him were, but I did have a plan circulating around my head.

I needed to see Gale again. I needed to visit him and have some time to think on my own.

My plan was nearly foiled when I got to the door of our apartment and saw a brown box on the ground. I picked it up cautiously and carried it to the kitchen table, where I sat and opened it.

There were a dozen cookies of every flavor and color lying neatly in the box. A note in Peeta's handwriting on top of the cookies read:

_I'm sorry about today. I shouldn't have yelled at you. Please don't be mad at me. I thought you were ok by the end of our "date."_

_P.S. - I think I owe you some cookies. I didn't take you anywhere, after all. _

_Love, _

_Peeta. _

I began to doubt whether this plan of mine was really good idea or not. It had seemed like a good idea on the way, but not anymore. When I saw how deeply Peeta cared about me, I just wanted to forget about Gale and return his feelings.

I opened the family laptop against my will and helped myself to a cookie as it loaded. Damn Peeta for being so kind. He apologized when he did absolutely nothing wrong. I should be the one apologizing. But proud, strong me didn't want to apologize, and I'd never hated myself more.

I went through the steps of booking a flight. With each click of my mouse or word I typed, I felt like I was destroying everything I held dear to me, especially Peeta. What would he think?

Thirty minutes later, I had a flight booked for two days from now, on Friday. I felt like a traitor to Peeta, because this wouldn't do our rocky _relationship_ any good. But I needed to go see Gale before I tried to figure anything out with Peeta, that much was obvious to me. It would be good to clear my head for a while. I could only pray that Peeta would never find out.

I slipped the flight confirmation I'd printed and an old leaflet with the address of the cemetery Gale was buried at in one of my notebooks, and stuffed it in my backpack, and away from Mother's prying eyes. I'd just tell her I was sleeping over at Annie's house and tip Annie off beforehand.

I stuffed the rest of the cookies in the fridge. If Mother asked, I'd tell her I bought them from the bakery. I didn't want to eat any of them, not while my feelings were so chaotic and senseless. And those cookies reminded me of Peeta too much, and I didn't want anything that could remind me of him right now.

I let his call go to voicemail that night, and I didn't answer his text that said: _Good night. Talk to me please?_

* * *

_So, yeah, I lied in the last chapter. I said there would be an Everlark moment in here. Well, there isn't as you can see. You'll get fluff soon, I promise. _

_A huge thank you to reader __**Hungergamesfan015.**__ She was the inspiration for a key event in this chapter (and the next two chapters too.)_

_OK… so, for some reason, I didn't get very many reviews for the previous chapter! That made me really sad, because I thought it was an ok chapter! Can we do better this time? _

_Remember- __**Review=Preview.**_

_I will definitely not see you with a new chapter this Friday. I'm super busy this weekend, so that's why I added this chapter a bit early. I don't think I can update until next Friday, August 31__st__. It will go by fast, I promise. And it will be a really good chapter, because I will tell you that Peeta does find out. :)_

_Bye for now! _

_Lots of love, Rita 3_


	10. Chapter 9:Peeta

**~Sketching Out Our Love~**

**~Chapter 8~**

_Hi everyone! I'm glad you guys all liked the idea with the previews. I appreciate it all- reviews, favorites, alerts, etc. I'm still in shock that I got 55 reviews for the last chapter! 55! OMG, you guys amaze me!_

_If I end up missing anyone's preview, let me know! I usually send the previews out within 24 hours (or less), so if your preview is late, let me know please! I double check that everyone got one, but if I miss you, let me know! :)_

_So, sorry about the long wait. Hope this chapter makes up for it somehow… Pretty sad though. I mean, Katniss manages to break Peeta's heart. And then he decides to try and help her. Peeta is just amazing!_

_Thank you to my simply wonderful beta: choclate lover. You guys have so much to thank her for!_

_Ok, now I'm going to stop torturing you. Enjoy the chapter._

* * *

Whispers followed me around that morning. Whispers they hastily murmured to their friends behind their hands when they thought I wasn't looking. I had no idea what they were mumbling about, and on a day like this, I didn't even really care.

Perhaps they whispered about the uncharacteristic dark circles under my eyes, or the pallor to my face. Even my hair wasn't a mass of blonde curls; instead it lay flat and dull. My whole body felt weary, as if I'd gotten run over by Cato and the rest of the football team

But whatever it was they talked about, I was too weary to even care. Katniss was sapping the life out of me, like some awful parasite. Her sporadic mood changes were driving me insane. One minute she's talking and laughing with me, and the next she dissolves into full-blown waterworks.

_When did girls get so complicated? _

I felt like I might explode soon from overthinking. I wanted to kill Katniss for making me feel like this. She is the only girl who could mess with my emotions like this.

But a small part of me still belabored under the idea that Katniss loved me. I couldn't shake the feeling of optimism that I felt when I saw her face. I still believed that things could magically work out for us somehow.

"Yeah, Snow was really-"

"No, I heard-"

"Glimmer went-"

"Yeah, but she and _Peeta_-"

_Wait, what? What was going on?_

My head whipped around in the direction of the sentence fragments I had overheard, straining to hear what the whole school was apparently talking about.

Principal Snow? Glimmer? What was everyone talking about? _Me?_

The freshman girls who had been talking suddenly saw me standing behind them, and a hush broke out over them. They stared anywhere but at me, readjusting their makeup or backpacks or brushing their hair. I glared at them until they finally cowered away and left me alone.

I guess being on the football team has its advantages. Scaring freshman girls is definitely one of them.

But now I was very interested in this whole Glimmer/Snow drama going on. I had gone from indifferent to passionate in a matter of moments. And it was all because of some freshmen's stupid, gossipy comments, and the fact that I most definitely heard my name in the conversation.

I weaved my way through the hallway, keeping my ears keenly opened for anything about this morning's gossip. I don't even know why I cared. Most likely, it would be forgotten by lunch time, as another subject came up and took center-stage in my shallow classmate's lives.

I felt someone tap me on the shoulder, and it took me a second to react. But when I did, I spun around quickly, half-hoping to see Katniss's grey eyes. Instead, I'm greeted by a pair of sea green ones that are glowing with delight at the moment. Her cheeks are slightly red with happiness, and her long reddish hair frames her heart-shaped face perfectly.

"Peeta, guess what?" Annie squealed joyfully as she jumped up and down in her glee. "Guess what? Guess what?"

"I don't know…" I replied with an easy grin. "Did you take too much drugs this morning? You are just too hyper for so early in the morning."

"Peeta, you are such a downer." Annie rolled her eyes, but couldn't stay angry for too long. "Finnick asked if he could go to homecoming with me!"

"Annie, you and Finnick have gone to homecoming every year since your freshman year!" I exclaimed. "How was that a surprise?"

"Well, he's in collage now, so I thought he might not want to come…" Annie trailed off sadly, her eyes downcast.

"Of course he wants to." I encouraged her. "Finnick is crazy about you."

Annie brightened again at my encouraging words. "I can't wait! Only a week and a half left!"

"Yeah…" I trailed off unenthusiastically. I don't really have a date this year.

As if reading my mind, Annie asks, "You're asking Katniss, right?"

"What?" I balked at the idea. A part of me was desperately wanting to ask Katniss, but the other part of me was too scared to be rejected. "Umm… Katniss… I don't know."

"Don't be nervous." Annie smiled comfortingly, and patted my shoulder. "I just know she'll say yes. You're all she talks about!"

"What?" I gaped stupidly at Annie as this new tidbit of information rushed through my head. "Me? Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure." Annie shook her head at my apparent cluelessness. "She's just been through a lot."

"How do you know?" I asked in surprise. Annie was really surprising me. How did she know about all of this, while I didn't?

"I _talked_ to her, Mellark." Annie sighed. "You are completely hopeless."

I toyed around with the idea of actually asking Katniss to homecoming. I imagined her in a pretty dress with her hair done up, and smiling shyly as I slipped a corsage on her slim wrist. I apparently got too caught up in my little fantasy, because Annie was staring amusedly at me.

I felt my ears heat up. "I wasn't… I'm not… I mean… You know… Me and Katniss."

"I've never heard you stutter." Annie giggled. "Just ask her out already."

"Fine." I allowed myself to smile as I thought of how I should do it. Do I just walk up to her, or do I something really romantic, or what?

_I need Prim for this. _I thought frantically. I was no good at this stuff; it was my sister who always came up with great ideas for girly stuff like homecoming.

"About time." Annie pushed her hair out of her pretty face, and grinned at me with pride.

"Now, tell me." I began, trying to shift the conversation away from me and Katniss. "What is all the gossip around school about today?"

"You don't know?" Annie gaped at me in surprise. "I thought you'd be one of the first to know. You know, because they called your name."

"What do you mean?" I questioned, my heart beating frantically. I just knew it couldn't be good news.

"Well, you were called to the office." Annie replied in a satisfied tone. "Over the _intercom_. I've never even heard that thing go on before today!"

"Why?" I gaped at Annie. This didn't sound very good. "What about Katniss?"

"What about her?" Annie shrugged indifferently. Her eyes gleamed happily at the obvious concern I had for Katniss.

"Was she called to the office too?" I elaborated, my hands clenching at my sides at the thought of Katniss in trouble. I would kill Snow. And Glimmer as well, come to think of it.

"No." Annie replied. "But she was looking for you."

"Why?" I asked again, as my brain struggled to keep up with this landslide of information.

"I don't know, Peeta." Annie explained truthfully. "I heard a lot of gossip, but I don't like to take part in gossip myself."

"Alright, Annie, thanks." I muttered in defeat.

"Peeta, why are you so freaked out?" Annie asked curiously, looking me so squarely in the eye that it was impossible to lie.

"He gave me three weeks of detention, Annie!" I exclaimed angrily, as my body stiffened. Just the thought of Snow and his blood-smelling roses made me want to gag. I knew Annie saw my involuntary reaction, because her face softened and her voice eased out.

"And what else…?" Annie probed gently. Her wide green eyes looked so honest and open that I couldn't help but continue on.

"He helped Glimmer try to break me and Katniss up. He's Glimmer's uncle, so I guess he wants to see her happy. And I did a lot to make Glimmer mad at me." I whispered quietly, in case anyone could hear us.

"You didn't do anything!" Annie huffed in annoyance. "The truth is no one can stand her! And you managed to go out with her for almost two years!"

"I know, but I should've let her off more gently." I admitted to something that had been gnawing at me for a while. Guilt coursed through me at the thought of Glimmer. "I rushed into it, because I assumed that the second I broke up with Glimmer, Katniss and I would start going out."

"You guys are dating?!" Annie squealed in excitement. "How did I not hear about this?!"

"We're not!" I responded a little too quickly. In answer to Annie's disbelieving look, I added, "I wish we were though!"

Annie gave me a sympathetic smile. "She'll come around, Peeta. Just be patient. This isn't easy for either of you."

"Well, I can wait for her." I mumbled as a blush crept up my face. "She's worth it."

"I know, Peeta." Annie hesitated outside her first hour classroom. "Ask her out to homecoming. I'm sure she'll say yes."

"I will." I promised, a grin breaking out on my face. "And I know just how to ask her too."

* * *

The grin was wiped off my face the moment I stepped into the front office.

Katniss was sitting anxiously in one of the chairs, obviously waiting for me. The receptionist stared at Katniss as she leaped off her seat so quickly that it might have been on fire. Katniss rushed to my side, and looked at me curiously.

"Why were you called here?" She whispered frantically.

"I don't know." I whispered back, trying to stay quiet so the lady wouldn't overhear us.

"Can I come with you?" Katniss enquired hesitantly.

"Thank you." I muttered in gratitude. I didn't want to face Snow alone. Having Katniss with me meant a lot to me.

"Can I lead you to Mr. Snow's office?" The receptionist called out to us. "My name is Portia, by the way."

"Yes, thank you." Katniss and I both replied at the same time. I gave Portia a mechanical smile as she walked in front of us, and knocked at the first door on the left.

"Enter." I recognized Snow's curt voice, and goose bumps rose out along my arms.

Portia held the door, and Katniss and I stepped into Snow's office. It looked just the same as I remembered from the first visit. Everything had a rich mahogany color scheme, and I immediately thought of blood again. The only thing that was different was that Snow now had a vase of pure white roses on his desk instead of red ones.

"Hello." Snow smiled cruelly at us. "Take a seat, please."

It sounded more like a command than a request, and I instinctively stiffened. Still, though, Katniss and I sat side by side and waited silently as Snow poured glasses of water for us, like at our last visit. He snipped two white roses, and let them float in the water glass.

"Here you are." Snow set the glasses on two coasters directly in front of Katniss and I. Neither Katniss nor I reached for them, and Snow's rather puffy lips pursued at our defiance. "Drink up, it isn't poisoned."

I didn't believe him. It could very well be poisoned for all I know.

"Alright, let's get to the matter at hand." Snow sighed dramatically. "Ms. Everdeen, lovely to see you with Mr. Mellark this morning."

Katniss stared Snow down with a dagger-like glare. "Thank you." She spit out stiffly.

"We agreed not to lie to each other, right?" Snow mused. "It will make things so much easier for both of us."

"Yes." Katniss responded shortly.

"Very well." Snow sighed to adjust one of the blindingly white roses in his vase. "Why was Mr. Mellark not present at detention yesterday afternoon?"

"I left early." I spoke confidently. "Katniss was not feeling well."

"Yes, I heard." Snow smiled. "I was sure you were lying. But then you dropped Ms. Everdeen off at her house right away, so I guess she was feeling unwell."

"How do you know?" I asked, my mouth going dry.

"I told you I have eyes _everywhere." _Snow snickered. "I know everything in this city."

I tried to compose myself, but it was no use. Snow had unhinged me, and judging from Katniss's expression, she was too.

"You seemed very strained yesterday." Snow continued. "There was some screaming, cussing, and tears. But if I'm not mistaken, there was a kiss too."

I refused to answer Snow. My blood was boiling in hatred of this man. He was _spying_ on us.

"A lovely Homecoming night might do you some good." Snow continued. "I'd just _love_ to see you two there together."

Katniss stared straight ahead steadily, making no indication that she had heard Snow. Her lips were pressed tautly together, and her face was expressionless.

"Lovely." Snow leered at me when Katniss didn't answer. "I look forward to seeing you two there. Now leave."

"Thank you, Mr. Snow." Katniss replied as she got to her feet immediately. I followed her lead, and we both hesitated rather awkwardly at the door.

"Peeta, don't forget your detentions." Snow snickered cruelly. "I might have to add on another week because you skipped yesterday's detention."

* * *

"Ready to leave?" I asked politely as Katniss closed her locker. Her dark hair was in its traditional braid, but I never tired of looking at her. She was stunning no matter what she wore or did with her hair.

"Yes." Katniss replied stiffly. I winced at her tone. We had assumed a cold, distant relationship since she had kissed me in the car. Even though she was fine at Snow's visit, I had supposed she was just putting on an act to make Snow think she liked me. I tried to ignore the painful throbbing somewhere in the region of my heart at the thought of Katniss pretending to love me.

I didn't want to push her, but I was secretly annoyed with her. How much time did someone need anyway?

"My mother made my favorite lamb stew for dinner today." I awkwardly tried to start a conversation with her. "You are staying for dinner, right?"

"I don't know." Katniss answered. The tension in the car was so unbearable that I felt trapped. I opened the window to try to alleviate the claustrophobic feeling I was feeling, but it was no use. I resorted back to conversation.

"Are you going to the football game?" I tried to inject some enthusiasm in my voice, but it still sounded forced.

"No, I don't want to." Katniss responded curtly. "I didn't enjoy the first one I went to very much."

I felt like I had taken a blow to the chest. "But it's the last high school football game I'll ever play. Don't you want to cheer me on?"

"There are cheerleaders for that." Katniss whispered without looking at me. "Last time I went, you ended up getting hurt."

_Back to this again. _

"Katniss, it wasn't a big deal." I soothed her. "I even got out of work for the weekend!"

"Don't make me feel better about this, Peeta." Katniss glared at me. "All I've ever done is hurt you, and you've been nothing but nice to me."

"You are nice to me." I whispered truthfully. "I love you the way you are."

"I think it would be better for all of us if I just not talk to you anymore." Katniss avoided my eyes. "I don't want to keep dragging this out."

"I think that is the worst thing you can do." I replied honestly. "You can't leave us hanging like this."

"There never was an _us_." Katniss spit out angrily. "Let's just finish this English project and then we can be done."

"And Snow?" I asked in a whisper. "What about that part?"

"We will just tell him we broke up." She replied shortly. "It's not such a surprise when kids in high school break up. Break-ups happen all the time in high school, so it shouldn't be a big deal."

I didn't answer her. I didn't trust myself to say something without screaming at her or breaking down. We sat in taut silence for several long minutes until Katniss surprisingly broke the silence. "Are your detentions done?"

"No, Snow said he wants to add another week." I replied perplexedly. She had been there with me when Snow made the proclamation, so why was she asking me?

"So why didn't you go today?" Katniss questioned curiously.

Because I had to pick up Katniss so we could work on our English project, I had completely forgotten about the detentions. Add on the fact that I wanted to ask her to Homecoming today, and it was no surprise that I had zoned out.

"Nice going." Katniss snickered at me. "He's going to be so mad at you."

"Crap! How did I forget?" I wondered out loud. That was two detentions in a row I had completely ditched. Snow would make me pay big. Just the thought of an angry Snow made me sick.

"You've been acting weird today." Katniss stated, "You're really jumpy and nervous, but usually you're really calm and collected."

"Really? Why do you say that?" I asked in as nonchalant a voice as I could.

"I just do." Katniss replied simply.

"Do you think anyone knows about, you know, Glimmer and Snow and… us?" I asked Katniss in a hesitant voice.

"Well, Cato and Clove do." Katniss answered. "I overheard them at lunch, and apparently, Glimmer is really mad."

"Yeah, makes sense that Cato and Clove would know." I agreed.

"Where were you at lunch today?" Katniss asked curiously. "I didn't see you there."

"I was… ah… at the… library." I hurriedly made up. "I had some… ah… history homework to finish."

I had actually been sitting with Prim, desperately trying to glean some knowledge on the art of asking a girl to Homecoming. Once Prim had gotten over her giggles, though, she had agreed to help me. It was embarrassing that my sister had to help me with this stuff, but it worked out in the end. We both agreed that the best thing to do was just ask her. Knowing Katniss, she wouldn't like something big and fancy anyways.

"Oh, really?" Katniss arched her eyebrow at me. "Since when did you become such a diligent student?"

"My mom wants my grades to go up." I responded quickly, as my ears heated up and turned red.

"Oh, that's nice." Katniss muttered disbelievingly. We settled back into our awkward silence, and the drive home seemed to take forty minutes instead of the normal fifteen.

Katniss paused in the car when I parked outside our garage. "What's wrong?" I asked quizzically. "Get down."

"I don't want to meet your parents." She muttered as an endearingly scarlet blush crept up her cheeks.

"Don't worry." I reassured her. "My dad isn't home yet, and my mom will simply love you."

Katniss still looked doubtful, but she followed me to our front door. I turned the key and held the door, letting her go in first. She hesitated for a moment before stepping inside and standing awkwardly as I closed the door and stepped in.

"Hi Peeta!" My mother bustled out to greet me, an apron wrapped around her waist, and her blonde hair tied in a bun. Her blue eyes that so resembled mine beamed at Katniss and I, and I instinctively took a step closer to Katniss. "Hi, dear! You must be Katniss!" Mom smiled at Katniss, and gathered her in for a quick hug.

Katniss, on her part, responded to Mom's overly cheerful welcome well, saying hello and introducing herself. Mother seemed to fall head over heels for Katniss, and a small part of me was happy. Mother had hated Glimmer from the first time she saw her, so I was glad she liked Katniss.

"Let me get you some cookies and lemonade!" Mother hurried back into the kitchen, and emerged with a giant plate of cookies from the bakery and two tall glasses of lemonade a second later. "Here you are!"

"Thank you, Mrs. Mellark." Katniss thanked my mother and took the plate from her. I took both glasses from Mom, and led the way up to my room.

"Wow!" Katniss stood on the threshold of my room, staring in front of her in awe. "This is… beautiful."

The walls in my room were painted a soft blue, but there were many a paintbrush stroke on the smooth blue paint job. I had done it myself two years ago. One of the walls had a simple sketch of a dandelion taped on it, and I saw how Katniss's eyes fell on it immediately.

"Dandelions are my favorite flowers." Katniss whispered softly. "When my dad died, they started popping up along our front yard, because no one pulled the weeds anymore. After he died, I left them, because I couldn't bear to pull them. Dandelions always remind me of him now."

"I'm sorry." I replied simply. "I like dandelions too. They pop up in the most unexpected of places."

"Yeah, that's what I like." Katniss replied quietly. "They are strong."

"Just like you." I couldn't help but whisper. I treasured these peaceful moments between us, when I could tell her what was really on my mind.

For several moments, she just stared at me in surprise. But her mouth surprisingly quirked up in a small smile, and she laughed melodiously. "Thank you."

"So, do you want to get started on this thing?" I asked, trying to move our conversation forward.

"Yeah, good idea." Katniss replied, her tone suddenly business-like. She unzipped her backpack, and threw one of her notebooks on my bed, and the other she opened to a page full of notes.

"I took some notes on the irony and symbolism in _Romeo and Juliet."_ She explained. "Did you take some notes too?"

"Umm… I might've had football practice, and I was tired, so…" I blushed as I realized I had completely forgotten about my part of the project.

"Here, take this." Katniss dug in her backpack and threw her copy of _Romeo and Juliet _at me. "Start reading, and take notes on the foreshadowing."

"Yes, Ma'am." I even saluted her, which earned me a grin and a slight shake of her head.

"How do I open this?" Katniss asked a minute later, gesturing at my laptop. "I'll get started on the PowerPoint while you take notes."

I got up and pressed the power button, and waited a minute while it loaded. Once I had my password typed in, Katniss settled herself in my chair, and I headed back to my bed to start my notes.

We worked in relative silence for nearly thirty minutes. I felt very accomplished by the end, because I had managed to take a full page of notes myself. Katniss looked pleased with me as well, because she smiled, and let me type my information into our PowerPoint.

While I typed, Katniss wandered around my room, glancing at the many pictures and sketches I had taped to the walls. She paused at one of the sunset that I had just recently finished, and said, "How long have you been drawing?"

"Ever since I could hold a pencil." I grinned at her. "So, like 13 years?"

"You are amazing." Katniss stared at me in awe. "Are you going to get your college major in art?"

"No." I replied glumly. "My dad wants me to get a football scholarship. He thinks drawing is a waste of time."

"Well, he's wrong." Katniss answered confidently, taking one of the cookies off the plate. "Do you want to play football?"

"No, I hate it." I replied truthfully. "But my dad doesn't like me much. He likes my older brother Rye, and Prim, but not me. I'm just the middle kid."

"No, you aren't." Katniss stated. "You are so talented. I think you should stop trying to be someone you aren't."

I gaped at her. Katniss had managed to discover one of my deepest secrets an hour after being in my household. How did she read me so well when I couldn't begin to understand her emotions?

"I see how you act at school." Katniss continued on. "I know you don't belong with those jocks and cheerleaders."

"I don't." I replied simply. "But it's all I've ever known."

My statement hung in the air for several minutes while Katniss began packing up her books. "I think I'll be leaving now, Peeta." She announced.

"But you haven't had dinner yet!" I exclaimed quickly. "My mother would kill me if you left now!"

"Maybe next time." Katniss said. "My mom is probably worried about me now."

"Please, stay." I practically begged her. "It would be nice if you did."

"Alright, I'll stay." Katniss smiled. She threw her backpack back on the floor, and sat down on the edge of my bed. She looked at me with a certain degree of chagrin, and quickly asked, "Do you mind if I have another cookie?"

I laughed at her honest nature. "Have them all if you want. I don't mind."

"Well, if you're sure." Katniss took the remaining two cookies on the plate, and grinned. "Thank you so much, Peeta."

"You're welcome." I replied, my body oddly frozen. _Ask her, ask her, ask her. _I chanted in my head.

"Katniss, before we go have dinner, I was wondering, if you…" I took a deep breath to collect my thoughts. "I was wondering if you'd try one of my new cookies."

"Sure!" Katniss grinned at me, suspecting nothing. "What kind is it?"

"A fortune cookie." I croaked out. I reached over and handed her a wrapped fortune cookie. "Here you go."

"Thanks!" Katniss smiled, and ripped the cookie out of the plastic wrapping. She cracked it in half, and a small strip of folded-up paper fell out. "Oh, they have fortunes in them too!" She exclaimed in surprise.

I was beyond talking now, so I just nodded my head. My mouth felt as dry as sandpaper, and my heart was thumping against my ribcage painfully. I forced myself to breathe steadily, and not freak out.

She put half of the cookie in her mouth before unfolding and smoothing out the paper and reading it. The paper was a picture of her, done hastily in black and white pencil during lunch. She was smiling slightly, and her hair was down. Her mouth fell open as she realized who I had drawn, and when she read the message. _Will you go to Homecoming with me?_

I waited for her to say something with bated breath. She was staring at me in a mixture of shock and surprise. When she had been quiet for too long, I croaked out her name in a prompt. "Katniss?"

"I wasn't planning on going." Katniss began hesitantly. "I've never been to a dance before."

"I want to go with you." I whispered, trying not to sound like I was begging her. "It will be fun."

"I don't know, Peeta." Katniss replied unsurely, twirling the paper in her hand anxiously. "I don't really like dances."

"Just as friends." I blurted out, my hands clenching at my sides in worry. "It will be a nice change."

"I'm sorry, Peeta." Katniss sighed out after a long pause, her grey eyes filling with sadness. "I'm not going to go."

Disappointment coursed through my veins like liquid fire. I could feel the tears burning beneath my eyelids, but I forced myself to smile and nod at Katniss.

"Can I not stay for dinner?" Katniss asked hesitantly as she slipped her backpack on. "I need to get home, because my mom is probably really worried."

"That's fine." I replied mechanically.

"I'm sorry, Peeta." Katniss answered simply. "I hope you find someone else to go with."

I didn't want to go with anyone else. If I didn't go with Katniss, I wouldn't go with anyone. But I kept this to myself, because I knew she felt bad enough as it was.

"Do you need a ride?" I asked suddenly, remembering that she didn't drive. "I wouldn't mind."

"No, it's alright." Katniss smiled. "I can walk to my mom's work, and we can drive home together from there."

"Where does she work?" I asked, trying to keep the awkwardness at bay. It occurred to me that I'd done a lot of talking to fill the silence today.

"Mercy Hospital." Katniss replied. "She's a nurse in the trauma center."

"Oh, I know that hospital." I replied. "It's like five minutes from here."

"Yeah." Katniss agreed. "Thanks for having me over."

"You're welcome." I replied, trying to look like I took her denial well.

"Peeta?" Katniss hesitated at the door. I caught the shaky nervousness to her tone, and I couldn't help but feel bad for being angry.

"Yeah, Katniss?" I asked in a friendlier tone than I had been using. I gave her a slight smile to encourage her, which seemed to help.

"Can I keep the picture?" Her big grey eyes looked ashamed. "It's so beautiful, and I might… think about going, maybe."

"You can have it." I smiled. "I've drawn so many sketches that I don't mind."

"Bye, Peeta." I watched her walk away, her braid swaying down her back in rhythm with her steps. Once she was out of our driveway, I closed the door and leaned against it, trying to breathe deeply and not break down. Prim rushed to my side a moment later, and took one look at my crumbled face.

"Peeta, I'm so sorry." She whispered, throwing her arms around me. "I'm so, so, so sorry. I thought she would say yes for sure."

"It's ok, Prim." I replied hoarsely, wiping away the few tears that had managed to escape. "I kind of knew, deep down, that she would say no. But I made myself hope that she would say yes."

"Maybe she'll change her mind." Prim said cheerfully, trying to cheer me up. "I was looking forward to taking her dress shopping."

I smiled to myself. If Prim and Katniss went dress shopping together, Katniss would just die of boredom. I knew that dresses and shopping weren't really her thing. "I wouldn't have minded if she showed up in her pajamas." I smiled, imagining the scene. I think she would look beautiful with her hair in messy braid, and wearing sweats and an old tank top.

"It's alright, Peeta." Prim consoled. "I'm sure Glimmer would go with you. I mean, look at her. Poor thing, she just dumped Marvel today."

Prim smirked, her sympathy for Glimmer fading away. "I've always hated her." Her tone was gleeful.

"I'm going up to my room for a little." I announced suddenly, pushing past Prim and up the stairs. I locked the door, and collapsed on my bed, my energy completely drained.

My brain wandered off, and I envisioned Katniss and I in the car, driving to homecoming. She would be wearing a dress, and some make-up, and her hair would be down and flowing. And then, under the stars, we would share our first real kiss. A kiss that we would both be fully expecting and wanting.

Somewhere during my little fantasy, I had begun crying. My cheeks were stained with tear tracks, and I inwardly chided myself.

_Man up, Peeta. What are you doing crying like a girl?_

It was all Katniss's fault. She made me feel this way. I could never imagine myself crying over another girl, because that simply wasn't realistic. I had never wanted anything with as much fervor as I wanted Katniss.

"Peeta!" I heard Prim's soft voice call out as she knocked on my door. "Dinner's ready!"

"Ok, coming." I replied, heaving myself off the bed. My hand dug into some metal on the way up, and I winced. I turned, trying to see what the source of my pain was, and I saw a dark green spiral notebook lying carelessly on my bed.

I opened it to the back of the cover page curiously. I don't recall having a dark green notebook, so I was curious as to what this could be. Sure enough, it wasn't mine. On the top left hand corner, the name _Katniss Everdeen_ was spelled out neatly in black marker.

Katniss had accidently forgotten her notebook here. I stood up, the notebook in one hand, as I reached for my phone. I would text her that she forgot the notebook, and give it to her on Monday.

As I was reaching for my phone, two sheets of paper slipped out of the front of the book. I felt torn for a moment. I've always accepted people's privacy, and I don't go meddling around. But eventually, my curiosity got the better of me, and I grabbed the two papers and sat back down on my bed.

The first seemed to be an informative leaflet for a cemetery. I stared at it in confusion, trying to figure out why Katniss would have this. I turned it over to the back cover, and saw that the address was in San Diego, California.

Now I was definitely curious, not to mention a little confused. I grabbed the other paper, and read through it carefully. It was an email confirmation for a plane ticket. It was booked for Katniss alone, without her mother. And the plane left tomorrow, Friday at noon.

I stared at the two papers I held in shock. The pieces started to come together. Katniss was taking a plane to California to visit this cemetery. I glanced at the paper again, and saw that the return flight was scheduled for nine in the morning the next day.

Obviously, she didn't plan on staying long. But why she was going was a mystery to me.

Maybe she was going to see her father? She mentioned that she missed him all the time. But then her mother would have gone with her, right?

Something wasn't adding up here. If I confronted her about this right now, she might think I was snooping and get mad. But, at the same time, I didn't want her flying halfway across the country alone.

I made up my mind in an instant. I rushed to my laptop, which was still open from Katniss's visit. In minutes, I was booking my own flight headed to San Diego. My plane didn't leave until 12:30 tomorrow, which was half an hour after Katniss's flight. It wasn't a big deal; thirty minutes wouldn't make a huge impact. Or at least that's I thought.

I had emptied my account for this flight, which had just been filled from working at the bakery last week. Even though my parents owned the bakery, they still paid me for working there.

This was the craziest thing I'd ever done in my life. But I needed to follow Katniss, because she might need me. Katniss hated the concept of being helped, but I wasn't going to let her leave me like this.

Love made people do the craziest things, but I didn't care. I think I'd do anything for Katniss, including flying across the country to make sure she stays safe and sound.

* * *

_So, what do you think? Do you think that Peeta should fly there, or is he making a mistake? He is just too kind, right? :)_

_So, the chapters start getting really good from here! I'm excited to share the rest with you. There are about 10 chapters left (maybe?)_

_Remember, review equals a preview! It will be in Katniss's POV, and in the airport. She really is crazy. :(_

_See you all next Friday! Much love, and a HUGE thank you to everyone! You are all an inspiration to me!_


	11. Chapter 10: Katniss

**~Sketching Out Our Love~**

**~Chapter 10~**

_Hi everyone! I look forward to Friday all week, because that is the start of the weekend and update day! _

_So, sorry if you sent me a PM and I didn't reply for a whole day or two. Just know that I have been crazy busy this week. It is a miracle I even finished this chapter!_

_Sorry about the delay in previews. Like I said, I was having a busy week, and I didn't send them out as fast as I usually do. Also, I forgot a couple people, and sent two to some people as well. I apologize for that, and it won't happen again, I promise. :)_

_Thank you to my lovely beta Choclate lover. She is truly amazing and has put so much effort into the story!_

_Enjoy the chapter! 3_

* * *

I had come to the conclusion that I was insane.

Being here, in the airport, still felt like a dream to me. A small part of me couldn't believe I was going through with this. I regretted this decision, and wished I could go knock on Peeta's door and tell him I would go to Homecoming with him.

Because let's face it, I _wanted_ to go with him.

There was no more beating around the bush. I was head over heels for Peeta, but I was too scared to act on my feelings. Damn my confused feelings for putting me in this mess. I wish I could've just forgotten about Gale.

I fingered my small carry-on. It contained a change of clothes, and some toiletries. I wasn't planning on staying long enough to need a suitcase. I just wanted to get home quickly, so Peeta wouldn't suspect anything.

It occurred to me for the hundredth time day that I had really made a mess of things. I wasn't thinking straight when I had been booking this flight. Because when I thought about it now, visiting Gale would only make a bigger problem. I should really just go back home, rip up the note I left for Mother telling her I was spending the weekend at a friend's house, and curl up in bed.

But I sat quietly on the hard plastic chairs, not moving, waiting for my plane to start boarding. I was a coward for not admitting to myself and to Peeta about my feelings.

And now I'd have to pay the price for my cowardice. Peeta was probably furious that I was shunning him out my life time and time again when all he did was try to bridge the distance between us.

_If he only knew where I was now…_

I was ashamed of myself. If I was a stronger person, I wouldn't be in this mess. I would be happily sitting at school, getting ready for the weekend, perhaps with Peeta.

"12:00 Flight headed for San Diego is currently boarding!"

I hesitated in my seat for a moment. Am I really going to do this?

I shakily got to my feet, and clutched my bag, which seemed to have tripled in weight since packing it this morning. I took small, shaky steps to the terminal door, hesitating as much as I could. I let a whole mass of people pass me by and enter the plane door. Soon enough, I was one of the only people standing in the terminal.

"Miss, are you boarding or not?" A strict female voice enquired. She gazed at me sternly, and I felt her annoyance. She probably thought I was a lunatic.

Which wasn't too much of a stretch. I _felt_ crazy right now.

"Is this your flight?" The lady enunciated each syllable carefully. "Do you have a ticket?"

"Yes." I replied coldly. "It's right here."

I reached in my bag and pulled out my notebook and the ticket. I had packed the notebook along with my clothes this morning. I leafed through the notebook pages, looking for the leaflet for the cemetery and the flight confirmation.

To my horror, I couldn't find either of the papers. I flipped to the cover of the notebook, and gasped in horror. I had put my papers in my green notebook, and stuffed it in my backpack two days ago. But now I held a light blue notebook. I opened it again, and saw the notes I had taken for _Romeo and Juliet._

I felt my stomach churn in dismay. I had taken both notebooks to Peeta's house two days ago. But I hadn't seen that green notebook since being at Peeta's house.

I realized I had left the notebook in Peeta's room, without a doubt. And now he would know that I was hiding something from him, and that I was going to California to visit a cemetery.

"Last chance, Miss." The woman snapped. "Give me your flight ticket please."

I handed the ticket over mutely, my mind reeling at the fact that my printed-out confirmation was with Peeta somewhere. I was still in shock over the fact that I had forgotten the notebook. Now Peeta would know how insane I was.

"This way, please."

I followed the woman obediently, who turned out to be a flight attendant. As I crossed the gateway, I glanced behind me one last time.

And I could've sworn that I saw a very familiar boy with blonde hair and blue eyes staring at me in shock.

But when I tried to get a second glance, he had disappeared into the crowd of people.

* * *

I could not sleep on an airplane.

That meant I had six hours to think, and I was scared of thinking for six hours. My brain might just combust after six hours of regretful thinking. An image of Peeta's face seemed to be burned into my retina. I saw him everywhere.

The man sitting next to me seemed to be nursing a hangover and snoring loudly, so even if I wanted to fall asleep, I couldn't. I couldn't help but wonder if Peeta snored while he slept. A slight smile tugged at my lips at the thought of a sleeping Peeta.

_Speaking of Peeta…_

Peeta knew where I was right now. The papers were with him, and I wouldn't be surprised if he had followed me. I might've even seen him at airport, but I kept telling myself I'd imagined it. It was easier that way. It made for less regretful thinking, which I already had enough of.

I pulled out the folded up paper that Peeta had used to ask me out to Homecoming. I swallowed thickly as I unfolded the white paper and stared down at it.

Peeta had a way of making me look gorgeous in his drawings. My hair was down and flowing, and a small smile seemed to be tugging at my lips. The fact that this was how Peeta saw me was astounding. I had never considered myself pretty, but Peeta drew me like I was beautiful.

The plane began to dip downwards, so I knew we were close. My belly churned with nerves, and all I could think of was how much I'd messed up. I quickly stuffed the paper back in my bag, before my seat partner woke up and saw it. I wasn't in the mood to explain to a drunk old man.

_Please don't let Peeta have followed me. _I thought frantically as the plane began its slow, choppy descent.

I had searched the plane as best as I could, but there was no trace of Peeta, which appeased me slightly. But it didn't take away the feelings of dread. And he could've easily taken another flight.

The plane landed with one final jolt, and I jumped in my seat slightly. The snoring man beside me woke with a sudden start before composing himself, and muttered about incompetent pilots. I would've laughed if I wasn't in such a problematic situation.

The man staggered to his feet, knocking against my knee in the process. For the first time during the flight, he looked at me, acknowledging my presence.

"Hello, Sweetheart." He rasped. "Where are you going all alone?"

I had been taught to not talk to strangers my whole life, so I pointedly ignored the man. I leaped to my feet quickly, my legs protesting at the sudden movement. Since I had been mostly inactive for the past seven hours, my knees gave out.

To my annoyance, the man caught me and steadied me. I pushed his hand away and grabbed onto the seat in front of me for support instead.

"Someone is quiet." He grinned at me. "You are about as charming as a sea slug, Sweetheart."

I opened my carry-on and started sorting through my baggage for no other reason than to look preoccupied.

"I need to find a Miss Effie Trinket." He muttered to me. "Central High School sent me to find her. She lives somewhere here in San Diego. The man said she will be very easy to spot, whatever that means."

I dropped my poker face, and spun around to face the man. "Why?" I blurted out, skipping all preambles.

"Top-secret business, Sweetheart." The man extended his hand to me. "Haymitch Abernathy."

"Katniss." I replied, ignoring his outstretched hand.

"Lovely to meet you." Haymitch drawled sarcastically as he withdrew his hand. "Now, excuse me."

Haymitch weaved his way through the airplane unsteadily. He was most definitely drunk, or perhaps he hadn't yet mastered walking in a straight line. I followed a couple people behind him, trying to remain inconspicuous.

Well, this Haymitch person had given me quite a bit of thinking to do. Does that mean that Snow is in trouble now, or is Effie one of his puppets? My mind raced with all the various possibilities, and I nearly walked right past the plane exit in my preoccupation.

I walked quickly through the makeshift tunnel that would lead me out of the plane and into the airport alongside official-looking businessmen and women. When I arrived in the airport, I blinked several times so that I could get used to the brighter lighting.

When my eyes came into focus, I realized that the scene in front of me seemed to be one of utter chaos. All around me, family members were hugging loved ones who had just gotten off the plane. I couldn't distinguish any sounds besides those of tears of joy, laughter, and screams.

Haymitch was standing beside a woman dressed all in pink. She wore high pink heels that seemed to be at least five inches high. My back started aching just looking at the spiked stiletto heels. She also wore a shiny magenta-pink suit that hugged her thin figure perfectly. But her most ludicrous feature was her hair. It was a bubblegum pink wig that was overly curly and short. I almost laughed out loud at this strange woman, and understood why Haymitch was told that would be very easy to spot.

Upon closer inspection, even her eyelashes were pink. I couldn't hold back a snicker as Haymitch stared at Effie like he had been hit in the head. The expression on his face was nothing short of absolute shock.

"Who in their right minds would appoint _you_?" Haymitch yelled caustically. "I mean, look at you!"

"Manners, Mr. Abernathy." Effie Trinket responded imperiously. I couldn't help but stop walking and watch this argument.

"Loosen up, Sweetheart." Haymitch drawled. "Let's go have us a nice drink, and relax. Flying is_exhausting_."

"We most certainly will not!" Effie screeched. "We have a busy, busy day ahead of us tomorrow! We can't even be a minute late! I have the whole schedule mapped out for us!"

Haymitch cussed something that made Effie gasp and close her eyes in shame. Haymitch snickered, and said in a louder voice, "Lead the way, Sweetheart. I thought we were on a _schedule."_

"Yes, as a matter of fact, we are." Effie's insane heels clicked as she walked toward the nearest airport exit. Haymitch followed in her wake, looking a little annoyed. I don't think the idea of no drinking went over well with him, because he looked very sullen as well. I snickered at the person who had decided to have Haymitch meet Effie. They were practically polar opposites.

_Like Peeta and I aren't. _A voice in my head whispered.

I ignored the thought, and followed Effie and Haymitch outside. The climbed into a waiting car and sped off. I watched their car get smaller and smaller until it disappeared entirely. I was now all alone outside, because most people were still inside getting baggage or had already left. I waited for a couple of minutes for a passing taxi to take me to the cemetery.

It was already dark out, which had me worried. I wasn't exactly scared to spend time in a cemetery in the dark, but more so apprehensive. And then there was the fact that my plane didn't leave until eight in the morning tomorrow.

I was stupid; I should've never come here. I had acted on a whim, and now I was in deep trouble.

A taxi cruised through right in front of me, and I quickly stepped forward and waited for the car to stop. Once it was stopped, I opened the back door dropped my bag in.

"Where you going, Miss?" The driver asked me.

"New Hope Cemetery, please." I replied quickly. I smiled quickly at the driver, who nodded and waved me in.

The ride was a mostly silent affair. I kept my hands knotted in my lap, and my eyes focused on the road. I remembered this part of San Diego vividly, because I had lived so close to here. A wave of homesickness rolled over me, and I couldn't help but wonder what it would be like if I still lived here.

We passed a flower shop on the way. I made the driver stop, because I thought it would be nice to get Gale some flowers. I stepped into the shop, and roamed through the small store, looking for a good bouquet.

I involuntarily shuddered when I passed the section of roses. They still reminded me of Snow's office, which I didn't want to be reminded of right now.

I ended up picking out a bouquet of yellow marigolds. I think Gale would've liked them, so I carried them over to the cashier and paid for them.

I walked out of the shop and into the taxi car carrying my marigolds. The driver eyed me curiously, but didn't say a word, for which I was thankful. I definitely didn't want to talk to anybody right now. I wasn't feeling anything but regret for what I'd done to Peeta and anxiety at seeing Gale's grave.

I handed over twenty dollars to the taxi driver once we arrived at the door of the cemetery. I grabbed my bag and slung it over my right shoulder, and held the bouquet in my hands. And with a single wave from the taxi driver, I was left all alone in a dark cemetery.

I shouldered my bag securely, and held the marigolds with a death grip. I took tiny steps through the cemetery gate. It was very quiet in the cemetery. I saw two people gathered by a headstone on the other side of the park, but that was it.

_I am not afraid of a dark cemetery. _I chanted as I made my way through the gravestones. _I am not afraid of a dark cemetery._

Despite my best efforts not to be, I was scared. I was scared of this cemetery, but mostly, I was afraid of the consequences of this visit. I had gotten myself into this, and there's no telling what could happen. It was very likely that Peeta had followed me. I wouldn't blame him if he did. It would be all my fault if he had come, because I hadn't trusted him enough to tell him earlier.

I knew the general vicinity of Gale's resting spot, but it was hard to find the actual headstone. I had only been to Gale's grave once, at his funeral, which had been in the daytime. It was proving to be much harder to find in the darkness.

I wandered around for several long minutes, squinting at the names engraved on the headstones, trying to find Gale's. It took several minutes, but I finally found the gravestone. I kneeled in front of the stone, brushing the slight layer of dust off with my hands.

In Loving Memory of

Gale Hawthorne

June 22, 2012

_Forever in our thoughts._

I ran my fingers over the words slowly, hesitating at the _forever in our thoughts. _I had not chosen Gale's epitaph. I could only assume that Hazelle had chosen them, because this is not what I would have chosen. It sounded too stuffy, and I don't think Gale would've like it very much either. I would have chosen something more meaningful, not some scripted words.

But it didn't matter anymore. Gale was buried and gone, so I was thinking pointless thoughts. Instead, I should be laying down my flowers or doing whatever the heck people do at graves anyways.

"Hi, Gale." I began tentatively, in a much smaller voice than I usually used. "It's Katniss."

I laid the flowers on the headstone carefully, repositioning one of the falling flowers. "I brought you some flowers. I think you'd like them, they remind me of our Meadow in the woods."

I hesitated for several long minutes. This was stupid. It was senseless to talk to Gale as if he was really here, because he wasn't. It was also pointless for me to come here in the first place.

I had thought that by coming here, I would get some kind of closure. I figured that visiting Gale would give me some answers so I could move on with my life. But I was getting nothing. This was pointless, and I should've known better than to come.

"I haven't come until now because Mother and I moved." I continued talking to the mound of earth. "I promised myself I'd never come back, but I came back. I don't know why I did either."

I heard a rustle in the trees, and I jumped about ten feet in the air. My head swiveled in the direction of the sound, and I spied a small tabby cat. My racing heartbeat eased out, and I focused on calming my breathing. I was already on high alert since I was in a graveyard, so it was no wonder I had been so easily spooked.

"Hey, kitty." I murmured as the cat made its way closer to me. "What are you doing here all alone?"

He meowed softly in response, and I held out my hand. The cat padded toward me cautiously, and my heart went out to him. He was all alone, like me. The overwhelming urge to protect this ugly cat came over me. "I won't hurt you." I whispered. "Come here."

The cat hesitated for a second more before brushing up against my side and sitting next to me. I stroked his fur gently, and he purred softly in response. "I think I like you." I murmured in a surprised tone.

"I know you hate cats, Gale." I laughed a little at the thought. "But I just found one, and I surprisingly like it."

I could almost see Gale's disgusted voice and his voice saying, _"Catnip, are you serious?"_

"Yeah, I'm serious." I ran my hand through the cat's fur again. "It's a shame I can't take her on the plane though."

"I thought I'd find answers here." I whispered after a pause that could have been mere seconds or long hours. I don't know why, but I felt like I needed to get this out. "But I was wrong. My answers are home in New York. I was just too blind to realize it."

I shook my head at the thought that I had wasted so much time and money on this excursion. I needed to get home, to Peeta, before I lost him. He was what I needed, not Gale.

"I'm leaving now, Gale." I stood up, and looked down at the grave. "I've finally realized that everything I want isn't here."

The cat protested, mewing and rubbing against my leg sadly. He looked up at me with big hazel eyes, and I could almost see him telling me not to leave. "Sorry, boy." I reached down and ran my hand through his fur one last time. "I don't belong here."

I took three steps before turning back and looking back at the headstone. "Bye, Gale. I won't forget you, but I won't let my life revolve around your death either."

The cat turned and began walking in the opposite direction, so I took that as my cue to leave as well. "I loved you. But not anymore." I held my bag in one hand, and walked further away from the grave and towards the gate.

The night was alive with sounds. Owls hooted from their perches on the trees, and crickets chirped softly in the background. The cool night air rushed past my face, invigorating me in a way that I hadn't been for a very long time.

For the first time since Gale's death, I felt _alive_. I didn't feel like a broken mess that could crumble at any given moment for absolutely no reason. I felt stronger, and ready to face what was ahead of me. Seeing Gale had surprisingly been useful in a way. It had given me closure, and confirmed to my mind what my heart had already known.

I loved Peeta Mellark. I loved him more than I had ever loved Gale, and I wasn't scared to admit it anymore. I was scared to love again after Gale's death, but now, I felt free of Gale and all the sorrow his death had inflicted.

Even if Gale was still alive, I had no doubt that we wouldn't work out. Gale was too fiery and stubborn for me. I had my own fire, which was why Gale and I had never been able to agree on anything. Fire plus fire only creates a wildfire that rages out control.

But Peeta was different. He was compassionate and caring, always ready to forgive me. He was the very opposite of Gale. I don't think Gale had _ever_ said sorry to me.

My thoughts carried me to the gate of the cemetery, and I sighed in relief as I got closer. I had gotten in and out of the cemetery without Peeta even realizing I was here, and I had sorted out what I felt for Gale. Now I can go home, and tell Peeta that I want to go to Homecoming with him.

"Katniss?"

I jumped, and my heart immediately sank. I knew the owner of this voice, and it belonged to the person I least wanted to talk to in the whole world at this moment.

"Katniss?"

I was too close to pretend I couldn't hear Peeta, so I unwillingly turned around and faced him. For a long moment, we just stared at each other, until Peeta broke the silence.

"I didn't want to intrude, so I waited out here on the bench." He said hesitantly, gesturing at the bench beside him. He inaccurately read the shame on my face as anger, and hurriedly elaborated. "I only came because I was worried about you."

The next words out of my mouth surprised me. "It's not your fault."

Peeta just stared in confusion, obviously having no answer. He was looking at me like I was mentally unstable, which I'd had enough of for one day.

"Why don't we go somewhere?" I asked awkwardly. "I don't think this is the best place."

"The bench is as good a place as any." Peeta replied easily. He sat on the edge of one side, and I took a seat on the other side. The wide berth of space between us was only adding to my nerves, so I scooted closer to Peeta's warmth.

"I think I owe you an explanation." I whispered softly. My heart was beating frantically, mostly because I was scared Peeta would refuse me.

"Go on." Peeta answered, giving me a brief smile. "I won't stop you."

"I'm not very good with words." I sighed. _This was going to be difficult._

"Katniss, I'm listening to you." Peeta encouraged patiently. I looked everywhere but Peeta as I tried to find the right words to start.

"I came here today, because I wanted to visit someone named Gale Hawthorne." I spit it right out. "Remember at the beginning of the year, you kept asking me who _GH_ was?"

"So, _GH_ is this Gale person?" Peeta questioned, his voice steady.

I nodded my head and continued. "He was my best friend. After my father died, he saved my life. He saved me from starving to death, and he was there to comfort me. Over time, he became much more than a friend to me."

"What happened?" Peeta asked in a hushed whisper. His face was contorted in a mixture of pain and sympathy, because he knew what was coming next.

"He got cancer." I gazed through the cemetery gates, seeing Gale's grave in my mind's eye. "He did well for a whole year, but then the cancer got too strong. He died a week before we moved to New York."

"Is that the whole story?" Peeta questioned in surprise. "Why do I feel like you are leaving something out?"

"Like what?" I stopped to think for a moment. "I go to a psychologist named Cinna on Wednesdays. My mom and I barely talk to each other. And I'm mentally unstable, according to my mother."

"I don't think you're mentally unstable." Peeta whispered, gently tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.

My heart did somersaults at his touch, and I blushed. "Thank you for waiting on me."

"I'd wait forever, Katniss." Peeta grabbed my hand, and rubbed soft circles on it. "Why were you so scared, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Scared of what?" I inquired. My brain was trying to function correctly while Peeta was holding my hand, and it wasn't working very well so far.

"Of letting me in."

"I was hurting, after Gale." I replied honestly. "Liking someone else after his death didn't feel right. I felt like I was betraying him."

"Anything else?" Peeta's dark blue eyes stared so deeply into my own grey ones that I couldn't help but tell him the truth.

"I was scared you would leave me someday. Like Gale did." Tears started pouring from my eyes without my consent, and I felt my throat start to close up like it always does when I get upset.

"Katniss. Look at me." Peeta tilted my chin up so that I was staring straight into his beautiful eyes.

Peeta gently brushed my tears away with the tips of his fingers. "I will never leave you, no matter what. I love you, and I promise to never leave you."

"Always?" I asked in a whisper, my tears falling down my cheeks again. But this time, they were tears of relief, not sadness.

"_Always."_

My body slowly gravitated towards Peeta's, so that I was suddenly a mere inch away from his lips. I realized I was up against his chest, but when I tried pulling away, Peeta held me tighter. "Stay." He murmured into my neck. His breath sent shivers down my spine, and I instinctively tightened my hold around him.

Our lips met in perfect synchronicity. This was the first kiss we were both ready for and expecting, and I felt it. Peeta's lips were soft and gentle on my own, but held fire as well. I savored the feel of Peeta's lips on mine, and how _right_ it felt to kiss him.

For a moment, I just focused on the feel of his lips on mine. I blocked everything else out, and felt his heart beating underneath my hands. It was just him and me, for a moment in time.

_It doesn't get any better than this_, I thought contentedly.

I only pulled away when I absolutely had to breathe or risk passing out. My forehead rested on Peeta's forehead, and we were both breathing heavily.

"Peeta?" I whispered once I had gotten my breath back.

"Yes?" Peeta grinned at me, and I could see the happiness in his eyes. He had been waiting for this moment for months.

"Will you go to Homecoming with me?" I asked shyly. I pulled the paper he had used to ask me to Homecoming, and held it out to him shakily.

"I thought you don't like dances?" Peeta quipped, his eyes merry. He grabbed the paper from my hands and stared down at it happily.

"I don't mind as long as I'm with you." I whispered quietly.

"I love you, Katniss." Peeta smiled at me as he pushed us both to our feet. "And I will happily go to Homecoming with you."

"Always?" I asked, entwining our fingers together. It was a very chilly night, so I pushed up into his warm body. Peeta automatically got the message and tightened his hold around my shoulders.

"_Always."_

* * *

_Thanks for the reviews, favorites, alerts, and anonymous readers! You all matter so much to me. All my lovely readers make my day!_

_Review for a preview of Chapter 11. It will be in Peeta's POV. It will be dress shopping with Prim, Peeta's Homecoming Football Game, and Part 1 of Peeta and Katniss's Homecoming. It will be a fun one to read, I promise. :)_

_-Glitter 3_


	12. Chapter 11: Peeta

**~Sketching Out Our Love~**

**~Chapter 11~**

_Hi everyone! Happy Friday! _

_I am sorry I am updating so late in the day. I had some last-minute writing/editing to do that I didn't get to yesterday. I was very busy this week with school, and I also got a new car! It's a yellow Volkswagon Beetle. I'm sure you know what those adorable cars look like. It's been very exciting, so I didn't write as much as I usually do. _

_As always, thank you so much for your amazing response! The amount of alerts skyrocketed with the last chapter, and it really made me happy that you are enjoying the story! _

_Thank you to my amazing beta Choclate Lover. I know I say this every week, but she is simply amazing! _

_Enjoy the chapter! 3_

* * *

"Peeta, wake up!" A loud girly screech pulled me out of a blissful sleep. It was the first real sleep I'd had since following Katniss to California, and I didn't want to get up yet. I stayed still and didn't open my eyes, hoping that I could just go back to sleep somehow.

"Peeta, seriously, wake up!"

I reluctantly cracked open one eye and found myself looking right at my annoying- yet lovable- sister. She was staring down at me anxiously with her big sky blue eyes.

"Oh, finally." Prim sighed in apparent relief. "I thought you'd _never_ wake up."

I pulled my blanket up around my chin more securely and sank deeper into my pillow. "Go away, Prim." I mumbled.

"No, I'm not." Prim argued. "Not until you get up."

"Why?" I whined, not ready to give up and get out of bed. It was the day before Homecoming, which was a no-school day for us. The football game didn't start until six, so I didn't need to be anywhere. I want to sleep in a little, but Prim seems to have other ideas.

"Your date has nothing to wear to Homecoming!" Prim panicked, waving her hands around anxiously. "And she needs some professional guidance to help her chose the perfect dress."

A wave of pleasure rolled through me as I heard Prim call Katniss my date. I let the words run through my head, enjoying the sound of them. _Katniss was my date._

"So?"

"Just get up, Peeta." Prim sighed in defeat. "I'll give you ten minutes. Rue and I are waiting outside."

I mumbled some more until I finally heard my door close as Prim left. I stayed in bed, fully intending to stay asleep until I wanted to wake up.

I was just dozing off again when Prim knocked on the door loud enough to wake the whole neighborhood.

"Three minutes, Peeta." She declared imperiously. "Don't make me drag you out of bed."

"Geez, Prim." I complained. "How hard is it to sleep in for once?"

"Two minutes." I heard her retreating and then going down the stairs.

I thought of just ignoring Prim, but the thought of Katniss made me drag myself out of bed and get dressed. When I looked somewhat decent, I made my way downstairs to find Prim and Rue waiting on the couch and watching some sort of modeling show.

"You're five minutes late, Peeta." Prim scolded. "It's already nine twenty!"

I stared at Prim's perfectly waved hair and delicate features. She had also taken to wearing eyeliner and mascara since starting high school, which made me wonder where my baby sister had gone.

With a pang in my heart, I grabbed a muffin I had made at the bakery yesterday, and sat down at the table to eat.

"No, you'll eat in the car." Prim scolded. "Should've woken up earlier, right?"

And with that, Prim all but dragged me out of the chair. Prim could be the most determined person on the planet when she wanted something. Before I knew what had happened, I was in the driver's seat of my car, keys in hand, and Prim and Rue in the backseat.

"Let's go!" Prim squealed. "It's going to be so much fun!"

"Yeah, sure." I muttered sarcastically as I drove to Katniss's house. She was probably still asleep, and my crazy sister was going to wake her up. I felt embarrassment rush through me at the thought of a sleeping Katniss.

Prim and Rue chattered quietly in the backseat. They were literally best friends, they got along so perfectly. They even looked the same to some extent. They were both thin with birdlike bodies that looked like they could fly off the ground at any given moment. The only difference was that Rue's skin tone was mocha while Prim's was porcelain.

"Peeta, you brought your phone, right?" Prim asked as we parked in front of the apartments where Katniss lived.

"Yeah, why?" I responded somewhat anxiously as I led the way to Katniss's apartment house. Who knows what Prim was planning to do with my phone?

"Because you get to take pictures of all the dresses and shoes Katniss will try on!" Prim sang excitedly as Rue giggled in delight.

They both ignored my look of complete horror and continued talking along like I didn't even exist. I sighed as I unwillingly rang the doorbell of Katniss's home and waited for her to answer.

We stood there for several minutes, waiting for Katniss to answer. I rang the doorbell three times with no answer, which only confirmed my suspicion that Katniss was asleep.

On the fourth ring, a bedraggled Katniss slowly opened the door and looked at Prim, Rue and I blearily. Her dark hair was in a messy braid, and she was dressed in plain red tank top and shorts. Her grey eyes were still half closed with sleep. In my opinion, she looked just as beautiful as she always did.

"Hey, Sleeping Beauty." I joked as I pulled her in for an embrace. She sank into me, and I stood for a moment, enjoying the feel of her body on mine. I was just leaning for a kiss when a sudden loud noise interrupted us.

Katniss and I jumped apart like we'd been electrocuted. I turned to see Prim standing with a slight grin. "We need to go to, Katniss. You'll have plenty of time to kiss Peeta at Homecoming." She teased lightly.

"I have tons of dresses, Prim." Katniss argued weakly in a hoarse morning voice. "I don't want to go dress shopping!"

"Where are they?" Prim asked bossily. "I have to look at them first."

I took a seat on the couch while Prim and Rue followed Katniss into her room. I took the time they were gone to look around the room a bit. The walls were a stark white with no pictures or paintings on them. The artist in me wanted to add some color to the house.

My eyes caught two framed photos on the fireplace ledge. I stood up and walked over to get a closer look at them. The first was one of a beautiful blonde woman in a wedding dress standing beside a man who closely resembled Katniss. I immediately recognized them as Katniss's parents, from a happier time and place.

The second was one of a younger Katniss, perhaps ten, sitting in between her parents. She was smiling widely, and I realized I had never seen her that happy. I instantly got a burning fire within me to someday make Katniss smile like that and be truly happy.

Prim, Rue, and Katniss reentered the living room. I noticed that Katniss was dressed in a light pink skirt and white V-neck shirt with lace. The outfit emphasized her petite feminine body, and her hair was down, adding to the feminineness of the outfit. She looked uncomfortable in the ensemble that Prim had no doubt forced her into.

"If it helps, you look beautiful." I whispered into her ear, so Prim wouldn't overhear us.

"It doesn't, but thanks anyways." Katniss replied sadly, staring down at the silver ballerina flats she wore. "I'm still stuck in these clothes."

"Do you want to know something?" I murmured, brushing a stray piece of hair away from her smooth olive forehead.

"What?"

"I prefer shirts and shorts as well." I responded, smiling widely at her. I watched as a small smile slowly lit up her pretty face, and she mouthed the words _thank you _at me.

It took us five minutes to get Manhattan Mall. Manhattan Mall was a huge mall with every kind of store imaginable. I had tried to get Prim to go somewhere smaller and quieter, but she had adamantly refused.

Katniss stared in shock and gasped when we first got a glimpse of the huge structure that was Manhattan Mall. I could almost feel the waves of horror rolling off of Katniss.

"It's ok." I soothed her quietly. "I'll stay with you the whole time."

Katniss's terrified expression eased out, and I felt myself smile. I'd do anything to see her smile.

I grabbed one of her delicate hands in my own large, rough ones, and rubbed it soothingly in the space between her first finger and thumb, just the way she liked it. Since we had been together, I had learned about the small gestures that she enjoyed. She loved it when I brushed her hair back, or when I rubbed her hand and back. They were small gestures, but I knew they meant a lot to her.

It took ten whole minutes, but we finally managed to find a parking spot that wasn't in the middle of nowhere. Prim sat in the backseat grumbling the whole time about how I'd woken up too late and now there would no good dresses for Katniss to wear.

Katniss just rolled her eyes and smiled. I knew that she would be secretly overjoyed if all the dresses ran out by the time we walked into the mall. As for me, I'd be fine if she showed up in the clothes she wore to bed. I was still in a state of elated shock over the fact that she was actually going with me, so the dress wasn't a priority for either of us.

The second I parked, Prim jumped out of the car, pulling Rue along with her. She took out a notepad and purple pen from her purse, and grabbed my phone from me. "For the pictures." She explained to me. "Rue wants to take Katniss's pictures."

I just shrugged, knowing I had already lost the battle anyways. I linked my hand with Katniss's, and she automatically weaved her fingers through mine. It was amazing how easily we'd settled in as a couple. If you told me two weeks ago that I'd be dating Katniss, I would've laughed in your face. But now we were going out, and it didn't seem like such an insane idea anymore.

Prim rambled on about the day's schedule, fully oblivious to the fact that only Rue was paying her any attention. I caught words like "dress shopping" and "manicure and pedicure."

Katniss's eyes narrowed at "manicure and pedicure." I laughed at her disgusted face, and she glared at me, which only made me laugh even harder.

"Watch it, Mellark." Katniss warned coldly. "I can shoot a bow straight through your eye."

I knew she was only joking, though, because a small smile was playing at her lips. "Liar." I breathed. "You'd never hurt me."

"You've made me weak." Katniss grumbled sadly. "I used to be able to scare anyone off."

"I haven't made you weak." I contradict her. "We're stronger together. Love overcomes everything."

"And you've made me all sweet and sentimental too." Katniss added in the same sullen voice.

"No, you were always sweet." I tease her. "Just hiding under a tough exterior."

"Stop playing tricks with my brain, Mellark." Katniss moaned.

"People tell me I have a way with words." I wink at her, and she glares again.

"We're here!" Prim sings. She pushes Katniss and me apart, and marches Katniss over to a huge Macy's department store. I follow behind them, and Katniss shoots me a desperate look and mouths _save me. _

During Homecoming season, Macy's sets up a special area with dresses of every color and style. Any other girl would associate this place with heaven, but I knew Katniss was in the middle of a sparkly, cloth-filled torture room.

Prim grabbed dresses with fluffy pink tutu skirts and strapless sweetheart necklines. I grabbed a particularly terrible dress with a sparkly pink tutu skirt and a revealing neckline from her arms. The revolting dress wouldn't even cover anything.

"Just saying." I begin. "I have some rules. If Katniss shows up in something like that, I will make her change into my sweats before we leave."

Prim gives me the pout face, but I don't back down. Instead, I grab the ugly tutu dress, and three of it's companions, and put them back on the nearest rack. "Nothing sparkly. Or fluffy. Or pink." I threaten Prim.

Katniss gives me a look of pure relief, and even Rue cracks a small smile. Prim reluctantly backs down, and heads into the section with more acceptable looking dresses. When she and Rue each have about twenty dresses slung over in their hands, they push Katniss into a fitting room with the huge pile of dresses, and wait outside the door. I sit down in a chair outside the fitting rooms where I can still see the dresses Katniss will show Prim and Rue.

Katniss tried on dress after dress for nearly an hour. Prim stood outside, taking notes and ranking her favorite dresses, while Rue dutifully took pictures. I almost dozed off several times, so I couldn't imagine what Katniss must be feeling.

No doubt she wanted to rip Prim and Rue to shreds, storm out of the mall, and forget about going to Homecoming altogether. If that were the case, I would kill my little sister.

"This is the one!" Prims squealed in complete delight. "Rue, take some pictures!"

Prim quickly scribbled something down on her notepad, and put it back in her purse. She proceeded to examine every inch of the dress Katniss wore, until she was completely satisfied. Prim was pushing Katniss back into the fitting room to change back into her clothes when Katniss hesitated for a moment. I watched her walk over to me nervously, and come to stand before me.

"Do you like it?" She asked hesitantly. "I don't care if Prim likes it or not. I want _you _to like it."

I took her hands in my own, and smiled up at her. "I'd love you no matter what you wore."

"So, you like it?" Katniss asked hopefully.

"Did you know my favorite color is sunset orange?" I ask her.

"Yes." Katniss's eyes light up thoughtfully. "But why sunset orange?"

"Because I love the sunset." I explain. "It's such a calming color, but full of light at the same time."

"Then this dress is perfect for our Homecoming." Katniss whispers in delight. It's just what I'd expect of Katniss too, because it is very simple.

The dress is very elegant, but in a good way. It is simply perfect. It's the perfect shade of orange, not too glaringly bright but not too dark either. The band sits right above her slender waist, and sits beautifully on her upper body. The neck of the dress is tied high up and sits on her shoulders neatly. But the most amazing feature is a small triangle shaped slit right above the waistband. It would look pretty on anybody, but on Katniss, it looks amazing.

"Come here." I whisper. Suddenly, I don't care that we are in a public fitting room. The only thing that matters is her.

"What?" Katniss stares at me like I've gone insane. "What are you talking about?"

Tired of talking, I grab her and settle her on my lap. My head twists upward to meet her lips, and she responds immediately. Her hands are tangled in my hair, and one of my hands is on her waist supporting her and the other is on her cheek. We stay like this for a long moment, not caring who is watching us.

"Oh, look who's here." A taunting voice makes Katniss and I break apart, though I keep an arm around her waist protectively.

I look around for the source of the voice until I find Glimmer. She stares down at me, and Katniss in my lap, and snickers. "Get a room, Mellark."

I ignore her, and so does Katniss. Instead, I massage gentle circles on the small of Katniss's back until I feel her relax under my fingertips.

Glimmer obviously got the message that she was being ignored, so she said, "Too bad I can't stand and watch you lovebirds make out all day. I'm very busy, unlike you." She adds the last part in a snide voice, and I resist the urge to punch her.

"Be careful during Homecoming." Glimmer warns with an evil smile as she turns to leave. "You never know who might be… watching you."

"What does she mean?" Katniss whispers to me once Glimmer is out of earshot.

"Nothing. She's just trying to scare us." I say confidently, though on the inside, I'm secretly worried. "Go change so we can get out of here." I add quickly.

"No kidding. We've been here forever." Katniss untangles herself from my arms and gets off my lap. I suddenly miss her warmth, and will her back. She must notice this on my expression, because she teases, "I didn't know you liked me _that_ much."

"You have no idea how much I _like _you." I tell her with all the sincerity I can manage.

"Ok, that's good enough for me." She grinned and shook her head. "You are the _only_ person I'd wear a dress for."

"I'm so honored." I tease lightly. I stand up and cup her face in my hands. Our lips met in a light and sweet kiss. "I love you." I murmur when we break away.

"Me too." She whispers back. I'm still waiting for her to say those three words back to me someday. Maybe, someday, she will tell me she loves me too.

The next hour is filled with shoe shopping. Katniss picked out a pair of very pretty silver heels, even though Prim wanted Katniss to buy a spiked stiletto heel. Katniss flat out refused, saying Prim could buy it for her to wear instead.

It's after the shoe shopping that Katniss's real torture starts. Prim literally forces her into a nail salon, and sets Katniss up for a French manicure and pedicure.

"I'm not painting my nails." Katniss snaps at Prim. "I am _not_."

Prim ignores Katniss, and drags Katniss to a reclining pedicure chair. Once Katniss has been forced into it, Prim takes a seat next to Katniss and hands her a magazine to read.

Katniss throws me a look of pure horror as a small Asian woman sits on a chair in front of Katniss's toes. Prim sits calmly in her own chair as another woman works on her feet, but Katniss fidgets and seems anxious throughout the whole ordeal.

"Careful." The woman who did Katniss's nails cautions her as Katniss gets up from her chair thirty minutes later. "They aren't dry yet."

"Thanks." Katniss mutters to the lady. She shoots me an annoyed glance though, so I know that she doesn't care if her nails get messed up or not.

"That will be forty dollars."

Katniss stares at the woman in shock, and shoots Prim a death glare. She still pays the forty dollars, though, but walks out fuming.

"Last time _ever."_ Katniss fumes as we leave Prim and Rue to find dresses for them. We decide to use the time to eat, so we are heading to the food court.

"I hate your sister." Katniss muttered to me once we had ordered our food. "She is absolutely insane."

"She's usually the sweetest girl you'll ever meet." I defend Prim, even after everything today. "And I don't mind if your nails aren't painted either."

"Stupid nails." She muttered in annoyance, as she tries to hold her fork without messing up her nails. "Why do girls paint their nails anyways?"

"Because if they are anything like Glimmer, they are all vain." I reply. "That's why I like you so much. You don't care about that stuff."

"I've never been that kind of girl." Katniss admits. "I dread dances, while other girls look forward to them."

"Doesn't matter." I smile happily at her. "I prefer you over Glimmer a hundred times over."

"Thanks." She looks up at me. "All these feelings, of being loved, are still so new to me."

"I could get used to it."

"I already did get used to you." Katniss whispers softly, her eyes meeting mine. My heart does a somersault as our eyes meet. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Peeta."

* * *

I smile as memories of Katniss and I rush through my head. The last week has been one of the best in my whole life, and that's because I had spent it with Katniss.

I buttoned the final button on my white dress shirt. I hated dressing up almost as much Katniss does, but I know that she has it worse than me. Prim tried to get Katniss to sleepover so she could do her hair and makeup, but Katniss politely declined. Instead, she said that she could do it on her own.

I slung my suit jacket over my shoulder and pushed my shoes onto my feet. I try to take deep, steadying breaths, even though a small part of me feels like hyperventilating. I was so freaked out about taking Katniss to Homecoming. What if she hates it? What if she hates me?

I groaned as I realized I had forgotten to put my tie on. I stood in front of the mirror for nearly five minutes trying to figure it out, until I finally gave up. I was so nervous but excited that my fingers weren't functioning properly.

I wander over to Prim's room. She takes one look at the tie around my neck and instantly understands.

"Peeta, calm down." Prim soothes gently as she ties the tie. She is completely dressed and ready, except she only has one shoe on. She was slipping on her pink shoes that match perfectly with her dress when I came into her room. In the next room, Rue is getting dressed in a silvery grey dress she picked out yesterday.

"I'm nervous." I admit honestly as Prim twists my tie expertly. "What if she doesn't like going with me?"

"She'll love it." Prim says confidently. She slips on her remaining shoe. "Now leave or you'll be late."

"Right." I breathe quickly. "Bye Prim. Remember, be careful."

Prim rolls her eyes as my protective nature comes out. "Chill, Peeta. Luke isn't going to kill me or anything."

"He better not." I reply coldly. Luke is Prim's date to Homecoming. I had thrown a fit when I found out Prim had a date, but Mother had been overjoyed. Needless to say, Prim was going with Luke and nothing I say will change it.

"Just trust him. And me." Prim gives me the puppy dog eyes, and I feel myself cave in just a bit.

"I do." I reach over and hug her, being mindful of her makeup and hair. "Love you, Prim."

"Good luck, Peeta." Prim suddenly smiles, and her blue eyes light up. "Don't make Katniss cry. You make her cry at all of your dates."

"We've never been on a _real_ date." I protest. "We went on car rides and to a cemetery. Overall, not too romantic."

I told Prim how I followed Katniss to San Diego after I came back. I trust Prim with these kinds of things, and so far, I've been right to trust her. She hasn't told anyone.

"Well, you should've done something nice while you were there." Prim explains. "Like, you should have gotten her that cat that you saw."

I had seen a pretty tabby cat while at the cemetery. If it was allowed on a plane, I would've thought of taking it for Katniss. I had told Prim about the cat immediately, because she has a soft spot for cats. "It wouldn't have been allowed on a plane." I complained.

"Well, get her one now then." Prim smiles. "I'll help Katniss raise it. It'll be fun!"

"I'll think about it." I reply cautiously. I don't want to say yes for sure, because Prim will get _way_ too excited.

"Whatever, Peeta." Prim rolls her eyes. "You are so _slow_."

* * *

"Hi…" I can do nothing but stare in utter shock. My mouth seems to have the lost the ability to speak or do anything but simply gape in complete astonishment.

"What's wrong?" Katniss teases gently. She leans against the doorframe, and smiles at me. Katniss senses my speechlessness, and I think it amuses her that I've reacted like this.

"God… Katniss you are beautiful." I finally breathe out. I can't think of a higher compliment than that because she _does_ look beautiful. She paired the orange dress with a pair of low silver heels and pearl earrings. But it's her hair and makeup that takes center stage.

Katniss's dark hair is braided to the side, and the rest of her hair flows down one shoulder in loose, wavy curls. I don't know how she did it, but it looks beautiful.

"How did you do your hair?" I ask in amazement. I look at it up close, being careful to not mess it up in any way. My artist side is fascinated by the intricate braiding and twisting in her hair. I could stare at it for hours and not get tired of her hair.

"I didn't." Katniss admits. "My mom did it. She is very skilled with hair."

"She did an amazing job."

"She did my makeup too." Katniss adds. I look at the light, natural makeup on Katniss's face. It makes her flawless skin glow, and her eyes seem to stand out more than usual due to some light eyeliner and eye shadow. Her makeup is perfect; not too overdone so it looks fake, like Glimmer's.

"I got you something." I add shyly. "I think it would look nice with your outfit."

Katniss takes the red velvet box from my hand, and opens it curiously. Her eyes open wide when she sees the simple necklace with a single glowing pearl dangling from it.

"I can't take this." Katniss stutters. "It's too expensive."

She tries to hand the box back to me, but I take the necklace from her box and leave the box in her hand. I take a step closer to her, and slip the necklace around her neck, and fasten the clamp. The necklace fits perfectly with the design of the dress and the earrings she wears.

"Now you look perfect." I whisper to her. When I had seen the necklace, I knew it was for Katniss.

"Thank you." Katniss looks to the point of crying, and I remember Prim's words. _Don't make her cry. _

"I love you." I say to her. "I know one day you will too."

"I already do." She whispers. "God help me, I do."

"Then that's all I'll ever need." I reply simply.

I kiss her, being careful of her lipstick. But Katniss doesn't seem to care about her lipstick, so I deepen the kiss. Her mouth opens against mine, and I gasp when I feel her tongue for just a moment. Katniss immediately breaks away, blushing.

"I'm sorry." She mutters as a blush heats up her cheeks. "I didn't mean to do that."

"No, I liked that." I admit, trying to calm my racing heartbeat. "I was just surprised."

Katniss smiles in relief, and I suddenly find myself wishing I could freeze this moment forever. "I wish I could freeze this moment, right here, right now, and live in it forever."

"I don't see why not." Katniss says, leading me to the couch in the living room.

"Then you'll allow it?" I ask with a grin as I sit down and pull Katniss into my chest.

"Yes." She replies, nestling up against my chest comfortably. "I would allow it."

I almost don't want to go to Homecoming anymore, because I feel so at peace in this moment. But my uncomfortable dress clothes rub against my skin, reminding me that as much as I'd like to stay here forever, I can't.

"I wish I could draw you right now." I say, holding one of the curls in my fingers and twisting it gently. I hold her against my chest more tightly, even though I know my shirt will be wrinkled later.

"I want to watch you draw one day." Katniss smiles, her hands playing with my gelled hair.

"You'd have to be my muse." I tease. Her hands have now traveled down to my cheek, and I smile as her fingers gently trace my jawline.

"I think I've liked you since the first day." Katniss admits, her hand returning to rest above my heart. "But I tried to hide from the truth."

My heart fills up to the point of pain at her words. But it's a good kind of pain, and I don't want to stop the feelings. "I loved you since the day I laid eyes on you." I tell her without missing a beat.

"I'm so sorry I was stupid." Katniss shakes her head ruefully.

"It doesn't matter." I tell her. I reluctantly let go of her, and stand up. She follows my lead, looking at me questionably. "We don't want to be late." I explain.

"Oh, right." Katniss shakes her head. "I almost forgot about Homecoming."

"Me too." I laugh. "It was so peaceful that I stopped worrying about anything."

"I'll just let my mother know I'm leaving." Katniss hurries out of the living room and to her mother's room, and I wait for her patiently by the door.

"I'm ready." Katniss announces, coming to my side and taking my hand. "Let's go."

"Let's go." I agree, holding her hand more tightly. "I'm ready as long as you're here."

* * *

_Yay! That's the pre-Homecoming chapter, where we finally get to see some sweet moments between our new couple! It was kind of strange for me to write a fluff chapter, because this whole story has been not-fluffy, for lack of a better word. But it was nice as well. _

_I'm sorry that Homecoming dragged into the next chapter. But nonetheless, we have some cute moments in this chapter, which I hope makes up for that. I know it was a little bit of a boring chapter…_

_The whole next chapter will be Homecoming in Katniss's POV. You'll meet some new characters, including one of my all-time favorites. Also, don't forget about the little encounter we had with Glimmer… that will be important next chapter. _

_*Katniss's dress is real, I found it online. It is very simple and mature-looking, because I couldn't see Katniss in something sparkly and short and frilly. I will put the link onto my profile. **  
**_

_Ok, I'm done yammering on… _

_**As always, a review earns a preview. This chapter's preview will be longer than most, because I won't be updating until Saturday**__. _

See you Saturday!

Lots of love,

Glitter 3


	13. Chapter 12: Katniss

**~Sketching Out Our Love~ **

**~Chapter 12~**

_Hi everyone! I'm sorry I didn't update until today, but it wasn't ready yesterday. To make up for it, I tried to make the chapter a little longer. _

_I have a story rec for you all today. It's called Breakfast on Vinton Street, by OMJH1012. I promise you guys will love it, and it is very well written! If you would like to read it, you can find it on my Favorites list. Thanks!_

_A huge thank you to my lovely beta, Choclate lover. Thank you! :)_

_That's all I have for today! Enjoy the chapter! 3_

* * *

***Katniss POV***

I hold onto Peeta's hand as tightly as I can. I know I must be cutting off his circulation, but Peeta doesn't tell me to loosen my death grip. Instead, he rubs my fingers in his comforting way, but I can't seem to relax.

There are too many people here, overwhelming me. We are still trying to find a parking spot, but I'm already having a minor panic attack. The parking lot is over flooded with cars and people, and I even saw a couple limousines. I don't do well in crowds, and this is one of the biggest I've been in my whole life.

"Katniss, calm down." Peeta soothed as we waited for a parking spot. I marveled at the fact that he always seemed to know what I was feeling.

"I'm not nervous." I lied uselessly. "I'm just… shocked."

"You're a terrible liar, you know that, right?" Peeta asks with an impish grin.

My face flushes crimson at his words. "I'm not nervous." I snapped, giving Peeta a glare. I hate how Peeta always seems to know what I'm feeling.

Peeta laughs, seeing through my white lie easily, but he plays along for a moment. "Of course you're not. You're just excited to dance with me, right?"

I blush even more, which Peeta unfortunately notices. "I can make you take me home right now." I threaten him stonily.

Peeta sighs dramatically as he pulls into an empty parking spot. "Do you mean I wasted ten dollars on a corsage?"

He reaches into the backseat, and pulls out a corsage with light orange roses. "I matched it with your dress." He explains. "And I made sure not to get white roses, because they remind me of Snow."

"Me too." I agree, remembering how I'd been careful not to buy roses when going to Gale's grave.

Peeta gently grabs my hand, and ties the ribbon of the corsage around my wrist. It's actually very pretty, and the light orange roses don't remind me of Snow. They actually remind me of Peeta, full of light and love. I find myself fingering the flowers and the light green leaves. "Thanks." I said. "It's perfect."

Peeta smiles, making his whole face light up. I love his smile; it reaches his whole face and makes me feel all jumpy inside. It's scary that this boy has managed to have such a profound effect on me. I hate him for making me a lovesick teen, but I can't stop liking him. He's just too likable.

Peeta sees me staring, so he grabs my hand and says, "Are you ready?"

I feel like I am condemning myself to a night of torture, but I squeeze Peeta's hand and take a deep breath. "Yes, I'm ready." I reply in a surprisingly confident voice.

"Ok." Peeta gives me another heart-stopping grin before he leaps out of the car to open my door.

"You don't have to do that." I blush. "I can get out on my own."

"Just get out, Katniss." Peeta rolls his eyes. "Stop wasting time."

"I'm not wasting time." I protest weakly. I get out carefully, making sure not to ruin my dress or hair. I don't know how some girls stand to curl their hair and wear a dress every day.

"Yes, you are." Peeta says confidently. He links his arm through mine, and we begin the walk to the hotel entrance. A small part of me is hoping we will never reach the hotel, but walk all night instead.

Unfortunately, when I dread something, time just seems to speed up and taunt me. In what feels like a second, Peeta and I are in line waiting to get our tickets.

"I can pay for my own." I tell Peeta as I reach for the small white purse Mother had lent me.

"No, I'm taking _you_ to Homecoming, not the other way around." Peeta snaps. "Do you ever let anyone do anything for you?"

My hand freezes over my wallet as I realize Peeta is right. I never let people do anything for me. In fact, Mother had to argue with me for nearly ten minutes before I backed down and let her do my hair and makeup for tonight. I'm glad I did let her do it, because she did an amazing job. I couldn't have replicated her work if I tried for a thousand years.

"Alright." I agree reluctantly as I close my purse. "You can pay."

"Thanks for not causing a scene." Peeta mutters. "I thought we would have to argue like old women."

I laugh as I picture the scene, and Peeta manages to crack a grin. "There's the smile." He says softly. "Smile more often."

"Stop telling me what to do." I tease, giving his arm a light punch. In retaliation, Peeta kisses me full on the mouth, ignoring my protests.

_Not a bad punishment at all, _I can't help but think. _I'd take this anytime._

"_Next!"_ An annoyed voice calls out.

Peeta and I jump apart, and I blush when I realize that Peeta and I are holding up the line. Peeta hurries forward to pay, while I stand off to the side waiting for him.

Peeta hurries to my side a minute later, tucking his wallet into his pocket. I haven't told him, but he looks great in his dark grey suit. His blonde hair has been gelled back, and his blue eyes seem to be brighter than usual. His sapphire blue eyes match the tie he wears perfectly.

"What are you staring at?" Peeta teases.

"You… look nice." I manage to choke out, feeling more embarrassed than I have in my whole life. _Why did I even say these things? _I chide myself. _I end up all tongue twisted and embarrassed. I should just keep my mouth shut sometimes. _

"Not too bad yourself." Peeta murmurs into my ear, making a shiver run down my spine. His arm falls lower, wrapping against my lower back. I try to not show how much his touch is affecting me, but I have a feeling I am failing miserably. Sure enough, Peeta snickers as he senses how my whole body is shaking.

The hotel room Central High has booked for Homecoming is huge, and dark. The lights are very dim, leaving the room in semi-darkness. A huge dance floor is in the middle of the room, with white tables and chairs placed around it. Near the entrance is a refreshments area, where several people are already crowded about. The DJ sits are the front of the room, and the teacher table is close by him. With a shiver, I see the white beard and hair of Principal Snow at the teacher's table.

Peeta, thankfully, isn't taken off guard by the sheer size and number of people here. He calmly walks through the hotel room, looking for a place to sit. I admire how unfazed he is, and wish that I could be calm around a huge group of people as well.

Peeta leads me to a table where we see Annie sitting all alone. She looks beautiful in a strapless aqua blue dress and silvery high heels. "Hi Peeta! Hi Katniss!" She hugs us excitedly, and I can't help but smile at her infectious good mood. Her long auburn hair is curled into gorgeous curls. Half of it is pulled up, and the rest cascades down her back.

"Katniss, your dress is so pretty!" She gushes. "I love the color!"

"Thanks." I smile at Annie, my previous worries forgotten. "Do you have a date, or are you here alone?"

"Finnick said he's getting something for us to drink…" She trails off as she turns around and tries to find him. "But I think he's trying to meet some girls."

"What?" I practically choke out. I don't know how Annie could say something like that with such a straight face. "You're his date though!"

"Finn is a flirt." Annie giggles, completely unfazed by my shock. "But he's only ever loved me."

"How do you know?" I can't even begin to fathom how Annie trusts Finnick so wholeheartedly. I would never be able to trust like that.

"Because the real Finnick isn't a flirt." She says honestly. "He is kind and funny and loving."

"Umm… I don't know how you trust him." I tell her truthfully.

"I do." Annie replies simply. "You can't love someone and not trust them."

"I guess." I reply cautiously. Annie is one of my only friends, and I don't want to argue with her.

"Speaking of which…" She mutters. "I should go try to find him."

Annie walks off in the direction of the refreshments, leaving me alone. I do my best to remain inconspicuous, but it doesn't work.

"Hello." Someone whispers in my ear, making me jump a mile. I turn around shakily, and find myself an inch away from a pair of blue-green eyes. For a moment, I just stare, fully entranced by the strange flecks of green in this boy's blue eyes.

"Finnick Odair." He says, holding out his hand.

Finnick Odair isn't what I'd expected at all. He is tall and muscular, probably around twenty years old. His bronze hair is gelled back carelessly, and even though the hotel is semi-dimmed, I can tell that Finnick is _very_ handsome. He has bronze hair, tanned skin, and a heart-stopping cocky smile.

"Katniss." I reply shortly, ignoring Finnick Odair's outstretched hand.

Finnick takes a seat next to me, and digs in his pant pocket for a moment. He pulls out something, which he offers to me.

"Do you want a sugar cube?"

I speak carefully to the sugar cube instead of Finnick. "No thanks."

I will Peeta to come to my rescue, and it seems to magically work. Peeta plops down on the other chair beside me, holding two cups of punch. He doesn't notice Finnick sitting on my other side "I promise it isn't spiked." He tells me sincerely when I hesitate.

"Alright." I grin at him. "Just checking."

Peeta takes a gulp of his own drink, and says, "I'd never purposely hurt you."

"I know." I reply honestly. Peeta is just Peeta. He can't hurt _anyone_.

"There you are, Finn!" Annie takes a seat on Finnick's other side, and takes the cup of punch he hands her. Finnick's eyes light up when Annie sits down beside him.

"Hey, baby." He purrs. "I missed you."

"Peeta!" Finnick says in surprise as he just notices Peeta. "I've been looking for your girlfriend Glimmer for the past ten minutes. Where is she?" Finnick asks curiously.

"She's not my girlfriend anymore." Peeta winces slightly, obviously remembering him and Glimmer together. I feel my stomach twist up in knots at the thought of Glimmer.

"Ouch." Finnick closes his eyes and a look of deep pain comes over his perfectly sculpted face. "I'm sorry Peeta."

"She isn't a big loss." Peeta replies with an easy grin. "I have someone _much_ better now."

"I always liked Glimmer." Finnick muses. "So pretty and brainless. And so easy to charm."

Peeta coughs lightly, and takes my hand. "This is my girlfriend Katniss."

"We've met." I reply shortly. Finnick looks at me with amusement, and I feel my cheeks heat up.

"Spare us the romantic details." Finnick moans. His sea-green eyes focus on me again, making me feel slightly uncomfortable.

"Do you want a sugar cube?" Finnick asks me eagerly again.

"No!" I reply vehemently. _This Finnick person is crazy_, I decide.

"It's just a sugar cube." He holds out a handful of sugar cubes to me, and I stare at him in horror.

"No, thanks." I say to the sugar, refusing to look at Finnick. I hold Peeta's hand more tightly, as if that will help me somehow.

Finnick's head suddenly whips around. His eyes land on a gorgeous curvy blonde girl in a full-length red cutout dress. Peeta immediately stiffens, and I watch his eyes narrow suspiciously.

"Glimmer!" Finnick exclaims, effectively breaking the tense moment. "I've been looking for you all this time."

"Well, you found me!" Glimmer giggles. The sound of it makes my stomach churn, and I can't believe Peeta put up with this girl for two whole years.

"And you _will_ have a sugar cube someday." Finnick says to me before leaving with Glimmer.

"Well, he's something." I mutter once Finnick has disappeared. "Quite the charmer."

"It's his traditional way of meeting new people." Annie explains. "You get used to him."

Peeta and I sit in silence for nearly ten minutes. He rubs my hand comfortingly, and I allow my head to rest on his shoulder. I'm just starting to fall asleep on Peeta's shoulder when I hear a loud chuckle behind me.

I turn quickly and find myself face to face with Finnick Odair yet again. His green eyes are inches away from my own, and I flinch back violently. "Do you want a sugar cube?" He asks me for the millionth time in a seductive voice.

"No!" I snap loudly. "I don't want a sugar cube."

Peeta laughs loudly, and says, "Katniss, chill." I turn and glare at Peeta too, because he is supposed to be helping me, not laughing at me.

"Took me ages to get away from Glimmer." Finnick says exasperatedly, rolling his eyes obnoxiously. He stands beside Annie, and grabs her hand.

"Annie, let's dance." He suddenly says. "You're a much better dancer than Glimmer."

Finnick and Annie head off to the dance floor, leaving Peeta and I all alone at last. Peeta looks at me expectantly, and says, "Do you want to dance too?"

"Sure." I reply, trying to be considerate. "I'm a terrible dancer though."

"Yeah right." Peeta mutters as we make our way to the dance floor. "I don't believe you."

It turns out Peeta is a great dancer. I feel like there isn't anything Peeta can't do amazingly well. He seems to be perfect at everything. I feel slightly jealous.

I sway in Peeta's arms, and surprisingly, I don't feel like a fool. Peeta twirls me carefully, and I find that I never want to stop our dance. For the first time since we've arrived at Homecoming, I start to relax and the tenseness leaves my body.

"You're a great dancer." Peeta tells me.

"No, you make me look good." I tell him honestly. When I used to dance with Gale, it was nothing short of a catastrophe. We were both ungraceful, and we ended up looking like fools. That is part of the reason why Gale and I never went to our Homecomings. The other reason is because we both like to be alone.

"I want to dance with you forever." Peeta tells me sweetly, noticing my attention lapse. I can't help but smile at how easily he can enunciate his feelings. I, on the other hand, end up a stuttering, red-faced mess when I try to tell him how I feel.

Peeta and I settle into a rhythm, our bodies swaying to the slow music in perfect harmony. I rest my head on his shoulder, and he sighs in contentment. "I love you." He whispers into my hair, and I smile against his shirt.

He takes a deep breath, and I swear I can feel him sniffing my hair. "Have I told y that you look beautiful?" He asks quietly.

I blush, and whisper, "Maybe once. Or twice."

"I'll tell you every day." He swears. "Because you are."

We fall silent for several minutes. It isn't the awkward type of silence, but the one where you are so completely at peace that you have nothing to say. For the moment, I was content with staying and dancing in Peeta's arms forever.

"Does Finnick go to Central High?" I ask Peeta curiously. I haven't seen Finnick around school, and he isn't the type of person you can easily miss.

"No, he's at San Diego State." Peeta answers. "He was a senior during my sophomore year."

"Then how does he know Annie?" I wonder out loud.

Peeta laughs. "They literally started dating the first week of Annie's freshman year. Girls really started to hate Annie, because Finnick was like a living legend at school. They feel like she stole Finnick from them."

"How can anyone hate Annie?" I ask in amazement. "She's so nice!"

"I don't know." Peeta replies with a shrug. "But girls can be really jealous. Glimmer is living proof."

"That's why Finnick flirts with so many girls." Peeta says after a couple moments. "To stop them from hating Annie."

Now, I see Finnick in a completely new light. He flirts with girls to keep them from getting jealous and somehow hurting Annie. I can't seem to hate Finnick Odair anymore.

The song finishes, and I quickly extricate myself from Peeta's arms, and instead, hold his hand. "I'm tired." I say sheepishly. "We can dance more later."

We head back to our table, and I snuggle up against Peeta securely. His arm automatically wraps around me, and I smile. I take slow sips of my punch, and Peeta plays with my hair absentmindedly.

Annie suddenly comes over, and giggles. "Look at the lovebirds." She teases.

"Finnick is a bad influence on you." I laugh. Now that I know Finnick a little better, it feels good to blame something on him.

Annie turns to me and replies, "He always comes back to me. That's how I know he loves me."

"He probably wandered off." She replies vaguely a couple minutes later, not looking too concerned. Her hands play with the white corsage that matches her dress absentmindedly.

Peeta laughs and says, "You know how Finnick is." He winks at Annie. "He'll come back to you no matter what."

"And here he comes." Peeta mutters under his breath moments later.

"They're crowning the Homecoming King and Queen." Finnick announces. "Do you know who it is?"

"No." Peeta replies. "I don't remember them announcing it at the football game yesterday."

"Well, let's watch." Finnick takes his jacket off, and hangs it on the back of his chair. I watch him roll up the sleeves of his shirt, and lean back in his chair casually.

The dance floor clears out, and Snow takes to the middle of the stage. He smiles with his ugly puffy lips, automatically making my stomach curl.

"Hello everyone." Snow begins. "I hope you are all having a great time."

A few cheers erupt, and Snow smiles more widely. I'm sure he is trying to look kind and happy, but he has the opposite effect on me. I spot a white rose in the lapel of his suit, and I instinctively shudder when I remember their poignant smell. Peeta feels the shudder run through my body, and his arms automatically tighten protectively around me.

"It is time to crown the Homecoming Royalty." Snow opens an envelope, and takes a small card out. He starts by reading the names of some freshman and sophomore couples, and I clap politely along with the rest of the school. "Now for our King and Queen."

Snow takes a long pause, building up the anticipation. I just stare at my sparkly shoes, knowing that there was no way that Peeta and I would be picked.

"Our Homecoming King and Queen are… Cato Jensen and Clove Evans." Snow reads off his card.

The hall erupts in wild applause, and Cato and Clove come to the center of the stage. Snow places a crown on each of their heads. I look around the room, and see that one person doesn't look happy at the arrangement.

It's none other than Glimmer. She looks at Clove threateningly, and I remember Peeta's words from several weeks before. Glimmer had liked Cato, and it seems like she still likes him. "Glimmer looks angry." I whisper in Peeta's ear.

Peeta looks across the room, and his eyes land on Glimmer. "I think she still wants to go out with Cato." Peeta mutters.

"It looks like it." I reply. I see Glimmer glare at Clove with hate, and my suspicions are confirmed.

Annie leans forward over the table, and whispers, "I voted for you and Peeta."

"Thanks." I smile at her. "I don't care about that kind of stuff though."

"Glimmer and I were Princess and Prince last year." Peeta whispers. "It was terrible. She was so proud about the whole thing too."

Snow takes a seat at the edge of the hotel room, talking to some teachers, and Haymitch and Effie. I nudge Peeta quickly, and he looks at me worriedly. "What is it?" He asks, looking around for the source of my discomfort.

"Do you see those people talking to Snow?" I whisper to Peeta. "One of them, Haymitch was on the plane with me when I went to see Gale. He picked up the girl, whose name is Effie, and brought her back here."

Peeta looks at me thoughtfully. "So, Haymitch brought Effie over to our school?" He ponders. "Do you know why?"

"No, he said it was top-secret business." I reply. Effie's hair is no longer pink, but a pretty shade of strawberry blonde. Without the ridiculous makeup and hair, she is actually very pretty. "Effie was wearing a pink wig." I whisper to Peeta.

He laughs, and jokes, "That looked great on her, right?"

"No. It looked awful on her." I giggle as I remember the fight Haymitch and Effie had at the airport.

I look back at Snow, and for a moment, our eyes meet. He gives me a wide, evil-looking smile, and I suddenly feel trapped in this huge dark room. Pure panic rises up inside me, and I feel the sudden urge to run.

I jump up from my seat, and Peeta stares at me worriedly. "Are you ok?" He asks in concern. "You look pale."

"I'm fine." I say as steadily as I can. "I just need to use the bathroom."

With that, I run away from Peeta before he realizes something is up. I head out of the room reserved for our Homecoming, and into the bathroom on the other side of the hotel hallway.

It's a very fancy bathroom, with four floor-length mirrors, and sparkling sinks. I feel somewhat out of place in this immaculately clean bathroom.

I shakily walk to one of the mirrors, and look at my reflection. I'm almost unrecognizable in my orange gown and sparkly three inch heels. My top part of my hair is braided, and the bottom fans out over my right shoulder in long curls. My makeup makes me look so different, and I suddenly have a strong urge to wipe it all off.

I freeze as I see the reflection of a girl in a long red gown enter the bathroom. She pauses at one of the mirrors to fix her impeccable appearance, and she notices she isn't alone in the room. Her face splits into a wide smile when she recognizes me.

"Hi, Katniss." Glimmer stands before me, her hands on her hips. "So nice to see you here."

Now that Glimmer is closer to me, I realize she looks different from the girl I met two months ago. Her green eyes are unfocused and bloodshot, and her skin has a yellow hue to it underneath all the makeup. She also looks less curvy, because her dress seems to hang loosely.

"Is everything… alright?" I ask awkwardly, staring at Glimmer's less-than-beautiful appearance. It feels strange to ask her this question when all I want to do is rip her hair out.

I pretend to fix my hair in the mirror. "You and Peeta look so cozy together." Glimmer says sweetly, ignoring my question. "Too bad your _relationship_ will be short-lived."

"What are you talking about?" I suddenly snap. "Can't you just leave us alone?"

"Katniss, I'm only just now starting." She laughs. "You and Peeta haven't seen _anything_ yet."

I gulp, and feel my stomach sink. "Excuse me." I say abruptly. "My date is waiting for me. Too bad you don't have one too."

I instantly know that is the wrong thing to say. I wish I could take my words back, but it's already been done. Glimmer's hand tangles itself in my hair, and I feel her jerk my head back sharply. "Snow has something in mind for Peeta." She whispers in my ear. "He is watching you guys all the time, even right now."

I yank my hair away from her grasp, and walk out the bathroom, slamming the door in her face. My legs feel like jelly and my body is shaking with terror as I walk to the table where Peeta sits waiting patiently for me. I barely make it into my chair before my knees give out.

"Katniss, what's wrong?" Peeta wraps his arm around me, but it doesn't help. "Baby, are you alright?"

"He wants to hurt you." I say shakily, willing myself not to cry. I could never lie convincingly, so it was no good to try and hide what Glimmer has told me.

"Katniss, it's alright, calm down." Peeta whispers, rubbing my shoulders gently. "No one is going to hurt us."

"Snow." I whisper. "Glimmer said Snow has something in mind for you."

"Katniss, listen to me." Peeta tilts my chin upwards, so I'm forced to stare into his eyes. "No one is going to hurt us. Alright?"

"Ok." I whisper in a small voice. "I'm just so scared."

"Do you trust me?" Peeta asks me seriously, not breaking our gaze.

"Yes." I whisper confidently, and I find that I really do mean it. "I trust you."

"Then don't worry." Peeta smiles, and his hands reach up to my hair. "Your hair is messed up."

I stay still, letting Peeta rearrange the wayward strands of hair; until he is satisfied it looks fine again. "So pretty." He murmurs, almost to himself.

I lean into his arms, and Peeta holds me protectively. It feels so natural that Peeta holds me like this. It's almost as if Gale never existed. It might have taken me way too long, but now I know it was always Peeta and I.

Someone taps my shoulder, and I jump out of Peeta's arms. I turn to see Annie, and the relief is obvious on my face.

"We're leaving." Annie says. "Finn wants to go."

I stand up to hug Annie. "It was great to see you." I tell her earnestly.

"You too." She giggles. "It's the first time I've seen you and Peeta act so _couple-y."_

"I'm going to take that as a compliment." I say to her, and Annie laughs. I surprise everyone when I turn to Finnick and take the sugar cube he holds in one hand.

Finnick stares at me in shock for a moment, and then bursts out laughing. "I told you that you would have a sugar cube." He says smugly.

"Get over yourself, Finn." Annie says, and she practically drags Finnick away.

I feel a strong pair of arms wrap around my middle, and I jump in surprise. "Scared?" Peeta's soft voice whispers in my ear.

"You surprised me." I reply honestly, as I twist myself so I can look him in the eye. Peeta smiles and I smile back hesitantly.

"Now what?" Peeta asks me. "Do you want to leave too?"

"I guess." I reply. "We've been here for almost two hours now."

"Ok, I'll take you somewhere special." Peeta says with a sly grin. "I think you'll like it."

We start walking towards the exit, and have made it about halfway when we hear two voices screaming behind us. Peeta and I immediately turn in the direction of the screams, and my heart sinks to my stomach.

It's Glimmer and Clove.

Even from this distance, I can see that Glimmer and Clove have gone from screaming to an all-out catfight. Glimmer appears to be trying to wrestle Clove to the ground, and Clove is screaming and punching Glimmer.

For a moment, Peeta and I stand and stare in shock. As we watch, Cato runs and tries to break the two girls apart, but he can't seem to get them apart. They just keep screaming and punching each other, seemingly oblivious to Cato's presence.

"Should we do something?" Peeta asks awkwardly. I can see his inherent good nature trying to help in any way possible.

"No." I reply cautiously. "We'll just get in trouble."

It takes a couple minutes, but the teachers seem to realize that there is an argument going on and they need to step in. Several teachers, along with Cato's help, manage to rip Glimmer and Clove apart. Glimmer, who seems to be in a rage, is led to an empty table.

Cato and Clove leave a couple minutes later, and I notice that they threw their crowns on the middle of the dance floor. Clove looks furious, and Cato looks like he wants to kill something. They walk out the door without a second glance, and Peeta looks at me worriedly.

"What's wrong?" I ask in a whisper.

"Glimmer." He replies shortly. He doesn't need to say anything else, because when I look over, Glimmer is surrounded by several hotel securities. They lead both her and Snow out of the hotel room, and the whole group disappears out the door.

"Let's go." Peeta tersely says to me. "I don't think we'll miss anything."

I nod, agreeing wholeheartedly. As we walk out, we overhear several hotel workers. "-Drunk- Principal wanted for questioning-"

"She was drunk." Peeta whispers in dumbfounded horror. "How long has this been going on?"

"She looked skinny and out of focus up close." I say to Peeta once we are in the car. "I think it's been a while."

"This is all my fault." Peeta moans. "I hurt Glimmer and never even formally told her we were finished."

"Don't say that." I tell Peeta firmly. "It's not your fault. It's Snow's fault."

Peeta just stares straight ahead, not answering me in any way. "What do you think they want with Snow?" I ask Peeta a moment later. "Why are they questioning him?"

Peeta shrugs listlessly. "No idea."

The rest of the ride is silent. It's not even the good type of silence, but the kind of silence that is too loud bear. I could practically feel the tension crackling in the air between Peeta and me.

Peeta surprises me when he parks in front of my house. "I thought we were going somewhere?" I ask curiously.

"I'm tired." Peeta says to me in a flat voice. "I'm sorry." But he doesn't sound very sorry to me.

I lean in to kiss Peeta in an effort to alleviate some of the tension that seems to have sprung up between us. To my horror, his arms stay locked on the wheel and he doesn't hug me back. His lips are unmoving and emotionless on mine, in contrast to the fluttering feeling his kisses used to give me. His blue eyes have lost their shine from earlier in the evening, and look dull and lifeless now. I lean back, suddenly feeling afraid. This isn't the Peeta I know.

"What's wrong?" I ask him shakily, my hands caressing his stoic face gently. "Peeta, what's wrong?"

"Nothing." Peeta replies, pulling out of my grasp. "I'll see you Monday at school, alright?"

"Alright." I whisper in defeat. I grab my bag, and open the door slowly in an effort to waste time. It doesn't work, and I climb out shakily and close the door behind me.

The second I close the door, I realize I left something unsaid. I knock quickly on the window, and Peeta rolls it down. "What?" He questions, looking at me emotionlessly.

"I love you." I say breathlessly, forcing the words out of my mouth before I can chicken out. "I love you, Peeta."

It took me too long to say these words, and I'm hoping I'm not too late. I'm hoping Peeta senses the significance of these three words, and somehow draw him out of his trance.

Peeta's face shows shock. "I love you too." He murmurs. "I'm sorry for everything."

"Don't be." I whisper. "You didn't do anything."

But he doesn't hear me, because he has already rolled the window back up. I watch him drive away, and my stomach begins twisting itself in knots.

Peeta and I are finally together, and Glimmer and Snow are being questioned by police at this moment. I should be overjoyed at this moment, because all my dreams are coming true.

But for some reason, a strong gut feeling of dread comes over me. I have the terrible feeling that something horrible is going to happen. I've never been so scared in my whole life, and I can feel myself panicking. Once Peeta's car turns the corner, I head up the stairs to my apartment, and try to shake of the feeling of premonition.

But I can't seem to stop the ominous feelings from taking over my thoughts. As I turn the house key, I can only hope that I am overreacting and that everything will be fine.

But I can't seem to believe myself.

* * *

_As always, thank you so much for the awe inspiring response to this story! You all inspire me so much every day. _

_There are two chapters left in the story. I don't have an epilogue planned out, because I can't seem to fit one into the story very well. I feel like it ends in a good spot, so I don't want to write anything over it. _

_Thank you for being the best readers ever! Review for your preview of the next chapter, in Peeta's POV. _

_Lots of love, _

_Glitter_


	14. Chapter 13: Peeta

**~Sketching Out Our Love~**

**~Chapter 13~**

_Hi everyone! I'm literally so excited to post this chapter… I've been waiting for this chapter for a really long time! _

_So, as you can all see, I have changed my PenName. I intended to change it months ago, but I never did for some reason. But I decided that now was as good a time to change as any. So, yeah, just a head's up. I'm still the same person, just a different PenName. So, now, I'm Peeta'sPearl. Yay for me! :)_

_I don't have much to babble about today, so you can all get to the chapter right now! Be warned, it is very short … and you'll know why once you finish it. :)_

_Enjoy! 3_

* * *

***Peeta POV***

It was the first time I was unhappy to see Katniss.

Today had been miserable from the start. It was the first day of November, and it had come with the true start of winter. The sky was overcast and grey, promising a huge storm later today. As an artist, I loved seeing the sun, and drawing the various shades of sunlight. It was hard to draw anything when it was winter.

She was waiting right at my locker. Even in my downcast mood, I couldn't help but notice how pretty she looked today. Her cheeks were red from the cold, and she was wrapped in a pretty jacket and jeans. Her dark hair was free of its customary braid, and instead swirled around her shoulders.

Her grey eyes scanned my face for a moment, obviously trying to see if any trace of Saturday's emotions still lingered on my face. For her sake, I fixed my features into a fake smile. Katniss immediately broke into a smile, and I saw her visibly relax.

"Hi!" She greeted me breathlessly. I wrapped my arms around her, and stroked her back slowly. "I missed you." She murmured into my neck.

"Me too." I tell her honestly. I hadn't seen her since the disastrous Homecoming night, and I know she had been worried about me. In a way, it was sweet to know Katniss had been worried about me.

"Do you want to do something after school today?" Katniss asks me cheerfully as I grab my English books out of my locker.

"Sure. Where do you want to go?"

Katniss looks at me with her big grey eyes. "I want to see your parent's bakery again, if you don't mind."

"Of course I don't." I smile at her. "We have hot chocolate for the holiday season too."

We walk to Katniss's locker hand in hand. I stay silent, thinking about Glimmer. I had wronged her, and I was, in a way, responsible for all of her actions. If I had let her down more gently, then maybe she wouldn't have launched a whole plan of revenge on Katniss and me.

"What are you thinking?" Katniss asks me gently. She can see how I've become unfocused, and I know it scares her. She thinks that she did something wrong, when it couldn't be further from the truth.

"Nothing." I tell her simply. I see her closing her locker, and grab her hand before she shuts it. "Don't forget your English folder." I tell her, purposely changing the subject.

"Thanks." Katniss grabs the folder out of her locker, and shuts it. She turns to look at me, and her mouth opens, as if wanting to ask me a question. But the next moment, she closes her mouth, and instead looks at our intertwined hands.

"If I did anything wrong on Saturday, I'm sorry." She whispers to me, looking at me earnestly. I can see that tears are pooling in her eyes. "I don't want to lose you."

My heart softens as I see her scared expression. "You didn't do anything." I tell her gently. "I'm just angry at myself."

A look of deep relief comes over her features, but is replaced by worry in the next moment. "Why are you angry?"

"Because of what I did to Glimmer." I say honestly.

Katniss's grey eyes look at me fiercely. "Look." She begins. "Maybe you didn't break up with Glimmer in the best way. But she chose her actions, and you can't blame yourself for what she chose to do."

"But I started it." I argue. "If I told her I didn't want to date her anymore, instead of cheating on her and kissing you, none of this would've happened!"

"Do you regret kissing me?" Katniss suddenly asks, her grey eyes glaring at me.

"No!" My voice rises in my panic. "I don't regret anything that's happened between us."

"You said it yourself on Saturday." Katniss adds. "You said Glimmer is vain and jealous. No matter what your actions, Glimmer still would've have been vain and jealous."

"You really think so?" I ask hopefully. I really want to believe her, but my conscience is telling me otherwise.

"Yes." Katniss replies simply. She squeezes my hand, and goes on the tips of her toes to kiss my cheek. "None of this is your fault."

My cheek burns pleasantly from where she kissed it. I can feel my lips curling into the first real smile of the day. For the millionth time, I think of the insane effect this girl can have on me.

"Let's get through school, so we can go get some hot chocolate." She encourages me. "I can't wait to see how you decorated the bakery for Christmas!"

"Who says we have to stay here all day?" I say, and grin mischievously at Katniss.

"I do." Katniss says simply. "We can't ditch just because you feel like it."

I make a pouting face at her, and Katniss smiles good-naturedly. "Stop complaining." She says jokingly.

We walk into English holding hands and laughing. Our English teacher, McCrane, gives us the death glare as we head to our seats. Her dark beady eyes follow Katniss and me as we walk to the back of the room and sit in our seats.

"What's up with McCrane?" Katniss asks me in a whisper. "She looks really angry."

"She's always angry." I say casually, which makes Katniss laugh and nod her head in agreement.

The source of McCrane's anger is soon discovered. We are having an assembly halfway through her class, so she only has twenty minutes to torture us. Several of my classmates erupt in cheers when they hear that we only have to spend twenty minutes here. I can't help myself from smiling along with the rest of them.

McCrane does her best to make sure the next twenty minutes are awful. She manages to fit in a pop quiz, which I'm pretty sure I failed, and introduce our newest book, _The Scarlet Letter. _Once she has given us our homework assignment, which is to read the first three chapters, she reluctantly turns us loose.

"That was awful." Katniss grumbled. "Did she really expect us to know when Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote the stupid book?"

"I guess so." I reply. "What did you put?"

"I put 1850." Katniss replied. "What did you put?"

"I put 1840." I reply. "Watch me be right." I add arrogantly.

Katniss never backs down from a challenge, and I watch her dig her copy of _The Scarlet Letter _out of her backpack. She turns it over and reads the small summary on the back of the book. "_The Scarlet Letter_ was published by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1850." She smirks.

"Fine." I grumble. "You just guessed and got lucky."

"Be quiet!" McCrane hisses at us. "You are to walk to the auditorium in _complete_ silence!"

Katniss and I end up sitting right behind Cato and Clove. They both still look furious that Glimmer messed up their Homecoming night.

Katniss turns to me, and whispers, "What are Effie and Haymitch doing here?"

"What?" I follow her gaze down to the stage, and see Effie and Haymitch, who Katniss had pointed out to me on Homecoming. "I don't know."

We sit in comfortable silence, holding hands, with Katniss's head resting on my shoulder. We watch Effie walk to the microphone, and tap it to make sure it works. She looks ridiculous in a blindingly pink shirt, and her shoes are at least five inches high.

"Welcome, welcome!" Effie trills in a high voice. Effie pauses and takes a moment to look around at the student body. "My name is Effie Trinket, and I am your new Principal!"

Katniss and I exchange looks of shock. Neither of us was expecting this, and all I can think is _What happened to Snow? _Katniss is apparently thinking the same thing, because she mouths _What about Snow? _at me curiously. I shrug at her, and direct my attention back to Effie.

"Snow has decided it is time for him to retire." Effie says in a falsely bright voice. I can just see the lie underneath, though. Snow definitely has not retired. Something has happened.

"Mr. Abernathy," Effie gestures at Haymitch, who still looks hung-over from the weekend, "will be the vice principal."

The staff nods encouragingly at Effie's words. Most of the students aren't even listening to Effie, but talking amongst themselves. Katniss is staring at Effie with narrowed eyes, and I can't help but laugh at her intensely focused gaze. She turns and glares at me, which makes me chuckle harder. Katniss eventually caves in, and I see a smile tugging at her lips.

"We are looking forward to a great rest of the year!" Effie concludes. "Have a great rest of your day!"

As we file out of the auditorium, Effie appears out of nowhere and grabs Katniss's wrist. She says, "I'd just _love _to meet you and Peeta after school today!"

Katniss glares at Effie, but I quickly step in, and say, "We'd love to."

Effie beams at me, and quickly rushes away to find Haymitch again. Katniss glowers at me, and hisses, "What was that for?"

"Don't you want to find out what happened to Snow?" I ask her curiously.

Katniss looks at me in surprise, "Well, I guess when you put it that way…"

"Just admit it." I grin at her. "I'm right."

* * *

Katniss and I walk into Snow's old office holding hands. I realize as we knock on the door that we have always walked into this office holding hands. It makes us more united, and able to take on Snow and his nastiness. Even though Snow is gone now, it still feels right to walk in as a team.

I hear the loud clacking of what can only be Effie's shoes on the other side of the door as she comes to open the door. Effie throws the door open wide, and her green eyes stare at us in confusion for a moment before recognition crosses her face.

"Hello!" She cries a little too loudly. "Come in please!"

Effie ushers Katniss and I through the door, and for a moment, I can only see pink. The walls that were the color of blood during Snow's time are now blindingly pink. The red chairs have been replaced with white leather chairs, and the desk is a rich brown color. I notice with amusement that there are no less than fifty pictures of various breeds of cats in the room. They are everywhere- taped to the walls, on cabinets, and in picture frames on her desk.

"Isn't it gorgeous?" Effie sighs in contentment as she looks around her room. "I just had the walls painted a couple days ago, and I spent all of today taping my cat pictures!"

I thought a principal was supposed to do more constructive work than tape cat pictures around a room, but I suppose I was mistaken. I barely stifle my laugh, and when I look over at Katniss, I see that her lips are pressed together in a thin line. She meets my eyes, and for a moment, I see a smile twist up her lips, but we manage to contain our giggles.

Effie has taken a seat behind her desk by now. She leans forward, and looks at us earnestly. "I heard you were very affected by Mr. Snow." Effie shakes her head in concern. "I can't even _imagine _what that must have been like."

Katniss disguises her laugh as a cough. I don't know what I expected of Effie, but this is certainly not it. She seems to have the best intentions at heart, but she misses the point, in my opinion.

"Now, Snow couldn't _really_ do anything to either of you." Effie is looking at Katniss now. "He wasn't that powerful. He was only a principal, after all."

Katniss stares at Effie in surprise. "I didn't know that." She mumbles, looking chagrined. Now that I think about it, I guess Effie is right. It wasn't like Snow was a dictator who could control us or our actions.

"He's very intimidating." Effie replies kindly, as if she was talking to a Kindergartener. "What really made us look into him and ultimately fire him was something different."

I look at Effie curiously. "Do you mind telling us what it was, Ms. Trinket?"

Effie positively beams at me. "Of course, Peeta!" She smiles happily, but her mood becomes somber a moment later. "Mr. Snow was using the school finances to buy things for himself. He also did the same thing with several other businesses and schools."

Effie looks at us sadly, as if she can't understand why anyone would be as cruel as Snow. I can just imagine Snow driving off in a Ferrari or watering his strange rose hybrids with the school's money. I suddenly understood why our school computers were so old. "He is now being forced to pay it all back and abandon his position as principal." Effie adds as an afterthought.

"Ms. Trinket?" Katniss asks hesitantly. She glances at me for a fraction of a second before continuing. "What happened to Glimmer?"

Katniss and I kept a close watch for Glimmer today, but neither of us saw her. I assumed she had just stayed home after Saturday's fiasco because she was too embarrassed to show up.

"She has been expelled." Effie says flatly. "She was found with quite a bit of alcohol in her bloodstream, and she also attacked another student."

"Wow." I breathe out quietly. I can't help but pity Glimmer, even after everything she's done. "That's terrible, even for someone like Glimmer."

Katniss throws me a sharp glance that is loaded with some emotion I can't quite comprehend. There's a little bit of surprise in her glance, but I can also see some confusion as well. I don't know what to make of it, so I just ignore her.

I lean forward on Effie's desk, resting my hands on the smooth wood. "That is _mahogany_!" She warns me loudly.

I jump back from Effie's desk as if I'd been electrocuted. "Sorry." I mutter, even though I'm more amused than sorry. Who would even care that they had a mahogany desk anyways?

"Run along now" Effie says, like we were five years old. "Haymitch leaves me all the work. Watch him be raiding the teacher's fridge right now."

I take Katniss's hand, and we walk out happily. "Do you know what this means?" She asks me excitedly.

"It means Snow and Glimmer can't keep throwing empty threats at us." I grin at her. "And we can finally live happily ever after."

"You are so cliché." Katniss teases me, smiling at me and making my heart jump. _She is so pretty._

"No, I'm romantic." I counter, brushing my hand across her lower back. She shivers in pleasure under my touch, and I can't help but feel satisfied that I can make her feel that way.

We pass Haymitch a moment later. True to Effie's word, he has a bottle of lemonade in one hand and two sandwiches in the other.

* * *

"Welcome to the Mellark bakery." I make a big show of holding the door open for Katniss and ushering her in. She rolls her eyes, obviously annoyed by my actions, but smiling all the same.

Thresh, our employee, nods at me from behind the counter. "You can take a lunch break, Thresh." I tell him. "I'm going to teach Katniss how to make gingerbread cookies."

Katniss looks at me with a mixture of excitement and horror. "I can't cook or bake anything." She whispers to me in terror. "I'll burn the bakery down to the ground!"

"Relax." I soothe her. "I'll help you."

Thresh walks out, and I go behind the counter. I grab two mugs, and fill them up with steaming hot chocolate. I throw a couple marshmallows into each mug, and hand one to Katniss. "Drink." I command her while I grab a couple holiday cookies.

"Geez, you're so bossy." Katniss grumbles, but she can't resist eating the cookies and sipping her hot chocolate. A shiver of pleasure runs through her body as she takes a sip of the hot drink, and she smiles. "I haven't had hot chocolate for years." She sighs in pleasure.

"Why?" I ask in horror. "Everyone loves hot chocolate!"

"After Dad died," Katniss hesitates for a moment. "My mom and I couldn't afford anything but the necessities. We haven't had a Thanksgiving for five years."

I stare at Katniss in shock. "Well, you will have a Thanksgiving this year." I vow. "You and your mom can come to my house. My mom won't mind." I make an instinctive note to always bring a cookie for Katniss. She deserves all the cookies in the world.

"That's not necessary." She mumbles. "It's better now, because her job as a nurse is really good."

I cross the counter, and kiss her, interrupting her from saying anything else. Her breath tastes like hot chocolate and sugar, and I breathe in the scent of her happily. "I love you." I murmur against her lips. My hands are tangled in her hair, but when I try to draw back, Katniss only holds me tighter. "Stay." She whispers into my mouth.

"Always." I say without hesitation. "I'll never leave you." She smiles against my lips, and I can't help but shiver when her tongue flicks across my lips.

"You're a good kisser." She gasps out once we've broken apart.

"You're not that bad either." I grin at her playfully. I run back behind the counter and grab two aprons. "Here, you'll need this." I throw one of the aprons to her, and tie the other one around me. I grab some flour, sugar, and cinnamon from the back room. "Ready?" I ask her cheerfully.

"Not really." Katniss mumbles, but she comes behind the counter and stands next to me all the same.

I decide to read off the instructions while Katniss measures them out and puts them in the bowl in front of us. I read the first ingredient off the recipe. "Four cups of flour." I begin.

Katniss carefully measures out three cups of flour, and tips them into the bowl without any problem. On the fourth cup, however, she misses the bowl, and the flour goes everywhere. I stare at her in horror through my floury eyelashes. "It's ok." I lie with a mutter. I measure out another cup of flour and tilt it into the bowl. "Two and a half cups of cinnamon. " I continue, as if nothing happened.

We get through the rest of the recipe without any problems, to my great relief. We whisk the ingredients together, and then I wrap the dough up. "Why did you do that?" Katniss asks in disappointment.

"We have to let the dough stand for two hours." I explain to her patiently. "We can't cook it right away."

"I knew that." Katniss mumbles as a blush heats up her cheeks.

"Sure you did." I mutter. I take my apron off, and grab a broom and begin to brush all the flour off the ground.

"Do you need help?" Katniss asks. She takes her apron off, and folds it neatly.

"Sure, you can wipe the table." I reply, thinking that nothing bad could happen if she was just wiping the table off.

"Ok." Katniss says cheerfully. She grabs a wipe, and begins cleaning the table. "I can smell the dough." She moans. "Are you sure we can't just eat it right now?"

I chuckle at her impatience. "You need to be patient." I tell her patiently.

"I'm terrible at being patient." She replies ruefully. "That's why I'm such a bad cook, I think."

"I can help." I murmur, wrapping her in a hug. She says something that vaguely sounds like, "Make it worse."

We stand in each other's arms, unmoving, for several long minutes. We simply enjoy each other's company, and there is nowhere else I'd rather be. My hands rub her back gently, and climb up her arms and play with her long, flowing hair. I tie her hair up in intricate knots, and let go of them and let her hair flow again. "I love you." I breathe quietly, not wanting to break the peace of the moment.

"I love you too." She whispers into my chest. Her arms are at my face, softly rubbing the stubble. "You need to shave." She teases me.

"I guess I do." I concede, self-consciously feeling my face.

The next two hours go by quickly. We finish cleaning up the bakery, help several customers, and get in a couple conversations. As the two hours draw to a close, I can feel the excitement vibrating off of Katniss.

I quickly knead out the dough, and place it in two large rectangular pans. "What shapes do you want?" I ask her. "We have gingerbread men, snowflakes, gingerbread women, and hearts."

"Gingerbread men, of course." Katniss replies, grabbing the cookie cutter. I watch her cut several gingerbread men up, and I place a tray for her to put the cookies on. It doesn't take very long before all the dough is shaped like gingerbread men, and ready to go in the oven.

"This is so much fun." Katniss smiles, her eyes lit up. "I wish I could work in a bakery!"

"Do you want to?" I ask her seriously. "Thresh can't be working all day; he needs some help."

"Really?" Katniss's eyes light up like the sun. "But what if I mess everything up?"

"You won't." I tell her softly. "I'll help you with everything for the first couple weeks."

"Are you joking?" Katniss asks me suspiciously, her grey eyes narrowed.

"No, consider yourself hired." I say seriously. It would be nice to have Katniss around all day, and Mom would say yes, because we need the extra help.

"Great!" Katniss looks excited, and I get excited about her working here. We would be spending the whole day together at school and then come work together.

She surprises me by hugging me, and I don't hesitate to hug her back. Katniss isn't the affectionate type, and I enjoy seeing this other side of her. I must've hugged her ten times already today, but I can't seem to have enough of her. We stay wrapped in each other's arms until we the oven dings because the cookies are ready. I hold on for an extra second, not fully ready to let go of her.

"Cookies." Katniss mumbles into my shoulder.

I laugh at her eagerness and let go of her to grab an oven mitt. "I see how it is." I tease her. "You put up with me just to get your cookies."

"Something like that." Katniss smiles at me, and I pretend to glare at her in anger.

I grab several tubes of icing, and hand half of them to Katniss. "I'll ice half of them, and you can do the rest." I tell her. The ones I decorate will be for the bakery, and Katniss can take the rest home with her.

I look over at the cookies Katniss has iced so far. They are actually very pretty, and I make a mental note to have her help me ice the cookies all the time from now on. "What do you think?" Katniss asks nervously, seeing how I am looking at her cookies.

"I think that they are perfect." I tell her honestly. "You always need to help me ice cookies."

Katniss flushes with happiness. I can't help but jerk her hand holding the icing, and as a result, the face of her gingerbread man gets messed up. He now has one huge blob as an eye, and it actually looks amusing. "Hey!" Katniss looks mildly angry. "You messed up my gingerbread man!"

I try to look innocent, and when that fails, I grin at her mischievously. "So, what are you going to do now?"

In response, she fires some icing at my face. I retaliate by shooting some light pink icing at her face. She laughs through her icing caked face, and I start laughing alongside her. We collapse on the ground, laughing and covered in icing. "Peeta…" Katniss gasps out between laughs. "You are an idiot!"

I grab a whole bundle of paper towels, and hand some of them to her. We wipe our face and the ground until no trace of our icing fight remains ."All done." Katniss says proudly.

"Let's get you home." I say to Katniss. "Before your mother kills me."

Katniss laughs. "My mom is working the night shift today, so she won't notice whether I'm home or not."

"Let's go." I reply. She takes my hand, and I grab her share of the cookies. We walk out to my car hand in hand, and she gets in the passenger seat and takes the cookies from me.

We drive in silence for several minutes, because Katniss is busy eating the gingerbread cookies. "Mmm…so good." Katniss moans. She looks at me, and says, "You're going to make me so fat."

I laugh at her. "You'll always be beautiful." I tell her sincerely. "You can eat as many cookies as you want."

"You're such a sap." Katniss smiles, though. I've never seen her smile as much as she did today.

Minutes later, we are at her house. "Thanks for today." She says softly. "Today was one of the best days of my life."

I smile. "I agree. Snow is gone, and we can finally be a normal couple."

Katniss looks at me like she wants to say something, but, instead she scoots closer to me and kisses me. I can taste the icing and sugar on her lips. I sense all the things she would never say out loud to me in her touch. I deepen the kiss, and Katniss responds eagerly. When we come to our senses, I realize Katniss is practically on my lap, and I suddenly feel embarrassed. "Sorry." I mumble self-consciously. "I didn't mean to do that."

"Thanks for driving me home." She says as she grabs her backpack and the plate with the remaining cookies.

"You're welcome." I grab her hand one last time, and kiss it. "See you tomorrow at school, I guess."

"Yeah." Katniss replies. She opens the door and gets out. I watch her walk to apartment door and walk in. When I can't see her anymore, I back out and begin heading home.

I replay some of the sweeter moments of the day in my head, like finding out Snow was fired and Glimmer expelled. I think back on all the kisses and hugs Katniss and I shared. I hear her laugh as I shoot icing at her face. I feel so content and happy as I think of the two of us together, and I can't wait to see Katniss tomorrow at school.

I feel beyond elated at how perfect things are right now. It's almost like I'm flying on cloud nine, and I feel like nothing can go wrong now.

I don't notice that a huge red car on my left has run the red light until it is way too late. There is a sensation of a huge crash, and I feel like I'm falling backwards.

Then the edges of my vision blur and the world goes black.

* * *

_Yeah, I just did that. Please don't hate me! _

_So… I have good news and bad news. _

_Good news first. The next chapter is not the last chapter. There are probably two more chapters after this. So, there is a little more to the story after all._

_Bad news- I don't know when I can update again. This coming weekend is my Homecoming weekend, so I might get very busy and not have the time to update. I'm so sorry that my Homecoming coincided with this chapter. Just bad luck, I guess. :(_

_Keep in mind that you will get a preview of the next chapter in Katniss's POV if you review. So, please review, and we'll all be happy. _

_As always, thank you for all your support. I seriously have the best readers in the world. _

_Love, _

_Peeta'sPearl 3_


	15. Chapter 14: Katniss

**~Sketching Out Our Love~**

**~Chapter 14~**

* * *

**Hi everyone! I am so sorry this chapter took so long, but I haven't been trying to torture you, I promise! I've been so incredibly busy, and I want to thank you all for your patience with me.**

**On a happy note, today's date is October 12! Which means today is Josh Hutcherson's 20****th**** Birthday! I actually found out today was his birthday through Tumblr, so I'm just passing the news on. Happy Birthday, Josh Hutcherson! 3**

**Now, you guys have been dying for this chapter, so here you go. It's the longest chapter of the series to make up for the lateness. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

***Katniss POV***

Today was probably the best day of my life. I wasn't lying when I told Peeta that it was the best day ever. I try to convince myself that the holiday spirit is rubbing on me, but I know better. It's Peeta that makes me feel so happy and giddy, not Christmas.

I sit with my legs folded up on our couch. The TV is open to a holiday special, but I don't pay it much attention. I just sit and slowly eat my cookies, thoroughly enjoying the slightly spicy cinnamon taste of them. For the first time in months, I feel completely happy. It's like everything is perfect in this moment, and I have absolutely no worries. I suddenly wonder where closed-up, scowling Katniss went.

I grab my phone and begin texting Peeta.

_Hi_.

I wait for nearly five minutes, but he doesn't respond. That's strange, because he usually responds quickly when he sees that the texts are from me. I push my worry aside, and think that he is probably busy and will get back to me when he's free.

Ten minutes later, the gingerbread cookies are completely finished, and so is the holiday show that was on. I close the TV, and go throw the empty paper plate away. I decide to change out of my jeans and heavy jacket, so I put on a pair of old sweats and carelessly throw the clothes I was wearing on my bed.

I go back and collapse on the already sunken couch. My stomach is so full of cookies and I feel so warm and content that I have a hard time keeping my eyes open. I give in and close my eyes, enjoying the relaxed feeling.

I am jolted awake after what feels like seconds. When I look at the clock, though, I see that nearly half an hour has passed. I look around, trying to find out what made me wake up so suddenly. Everything seems peaceful, though, so I lay back.

It isn't until I lay back that I realize I am shaking, and I seem to be covered in a cold sweat. I have an inexplicable feeling of dread somewhere in the pit of my stomach. It is so similar to the ominous feelings I had a couple of days ago that I feel scared. It's like déjà vu, and suddenly, I'm nervous.

I focus on breathing and calming myself down, and a couple minutes later, I feel back to normal. I attribute my strange feelings to a bad dream that I can't remember now, and decide that it's time for dinner.

I heat up some lasagna that is leftover from yesterday. As I am doing that, my phone buzzes from the other side of the kitchen. I run towards it, fully expecting that Peeta is finally calling me back. When I get to my phone, though, I see that the person on the other end is my mom.

Usually, Mother doesn't call me when she's at work. Sometimes, her shift as a nurse gets very busy, and she can't leave her patients long enough to call. So, I answer with some apprehension. I feel like it can't be good news. I decide that I am getting paranoid.

"Hey, Mom." I say as I grab my dinner out of the microwave and head to the table. "How are you?"

"Fine." Mom replies, but her tone is slightly off. She sounds somewhat panicky.

"Is something wrong?" I ask curiously, trying to contain my worry.

"You might want to sit down." She tells me seriously.

"Why?" I ask, but I lower myself onto a chair and begin to eat my lasagna all the same. "What's wrong?" I ask in a worried voice.

"Katniss, don't freak out." She begins shakily, and I can detect the lie in her voice. "But you need to come here now."

My heart automatically starts thumping, and the lasagna sticks in my throat. I hate hospitals, and Mother knows that. I've hated them since I watched Gale die in one before my very eyes. "Why?" I ask, trying to remain calm, but I can feel myself shaking.

"Like I said, it could've been worse…" She reiterates shakily. By now, I'm positive that something terrible has happened.

"Mom, you're scaring me." I snap a little more meanly than I intended.

"There was a car accident a couple minutes away from the hospital." She tells me carefully. "I don't know if you heard about it on the news."

I wasn't watching the news, so I didn't see anything. And I know Mother wouldn't tell me about car accidents unless they involve me or someone I know directly. These thoughts automatically make my throat go dry.

"Was it anyone we know?" I ask steadily, as all the possibilities rush through my head. _Not Peeta, _I pray_, not Peeta._

"Peeta." She whispers, affirming my worst fears. And with that one word, I feel like my world has crashed around me.

"I've got to go now." Mom whispers into the phone. "I'm supposed to be working."

"Peeta? Are you sure it's him?" I ask in horror. I can feel my throat starting to close up, and I know that I'm going to start crying. "He's going to live, right?"

"I'm sure." She answers in a strained voice. "Just come, OK?"

"I'm coming."

I close my phone, and run back to my room. I slip the clothes I was wearing today back on in seconds, and at the same time, look through my phone for the one person I need right now.

She answers on the second ring. "Hello?"

"Hey, Annie." I say as calmly as I can. "I need to you to come to my house now."

"Why?" She asks. "Katniss, are you OK?"

"I need you to drive me to the hospital." I reply shakily. "Peeta…"

I can't bring myself to finish the sentence. Saying he's hurt would make it final, and very real. Everything feels surreal now, and I almost don't believe Mother.

Thankfully, Annie doesn't ask any questions. "I'll be there in ten minutes." She answers.

The ten minutes that I wait for Annie are the longest of my life. I pace around the house, and finally, I can't stand being contained in it. I grab my phone and rush out, deciding to wait for Annie outside.

The cool air is invigorating, but all I can think of is Peeta somewhere in a hospital. Just like Gale…

_No, I can't think like that. _I worry. _Peeta is going to be fine._

When I finally see Annie's silver Corolla cruise into my driveway, my legs feel like jelly and panic is threatening to overwhelm me. I jump into the passenger seat the second Annie parks.

"Katniss, what's going on?" Annie asks frantically. "You're scaring me half to death!"

"I don't know." I say as I try to contain my hysteria. "Just drive, Annie, please!"

Annie sees how frantic I am, and she immediately backs out of my driveway. I stay silent as Annie speeds through the roads to get to Mercy Hospital, where Peeta is at.

It can't have been more than hour since Peeta crashed, but I am already imagining horrible possibilities. By the time Annie parks in the hospital, I'm a shaking mess, and I can't stop the feelings of horror trying to overwhelm me.

"Come on, Katniss." Annie says soothingly. "Let's go find out what happened."

I nod, and we begin walking towards the main entrance. My legs feel shaky, but they somehow manage to support me.

Annie sees that I am in no fit state to talk once we get to the front desk, so she explains to the nurse that we are looking for Peeta Mellark. It takes only a couple moments for the nurse to locate his name on the screen.

"He's in surgery." She says emotionlessly. "He'll be in the ICU when he gets out."

I almost collapse, but Annie grabs me and steadies me. "Katniss, calm down." She whispers soothingly. "He's going to be fine."

I can't bring myself to answer. All I can think is that I've already watched someone die in a hospital. How can it even be fair that I have to go through that again?

_He isn't going to die_, I tell myself comfortingly. The truth is, I can't imagine my life without Peeta. Losing Gale was hard, but the pain was bearable and I recovered from it, for the most part. Losing Peeta would be unbearable. I would spend the rest of my life trying to find the broken pieces of myself.

Annie and I walk out of the elevator, and step onto the ICU. The place just screams sickness at me, and it's almost like I'm back in a hospital with Gale.

"Katniss!" I turn and see Mother running towards me. Mother and I aren't on the best of terms, but I don't hesitate to throw my arms around her and sob.

"It's going to be alright, baby." She whispers softly as she ruffles my hair. "He's young and strong, and he'll pull through."

"Can I please see him?" I ask quietly.

"His surgery is almost finished, and then his mother and sister will go see him." She tells me. "But you can go in once their time is up."

Annie leads me to a plastic chair, and sits beside me. "He's going to be fine." She whispers softly in my ear. "Don't worry; he's going to be fine."

But I think Annie is trying to persuade herself as much as me. I know that she and Peeta are good friends, so this must be hard on her as well.

After what feels like centuries, Prim and Peeta's mom walk out of the first room in the hallway. Prim sees me immediately, and runs over to hug me. Despite my previous quarrels with her, I can't help but hug her back.

"I can't believe it." She tells me numbly. Her light blue eyes are puffy and red.

"What happened?" I ask Prim shakily. "I mean, how did it happen?"

"Some idiot ran a red light and hit his car on the driver's side." Prim says angrily. "The guy who hit him walked away with a scratch on his arm. How is that even fair?"

"Katniss?" Annie asks gently. "Are you ready?"

"Will you come in with me?" I ask her feebly. I hate how weak I sound, but I can't face seeing Peeta alone yet.

"Of course I will." Annie murmurs. "Let's go."

I take a deep breath, and try not to imagine the worst. "OK." I squeak out. Mrs. Mellark gives me a small smile as Annie gets up and walks to the front desk.

"Name?" The nurse asks curtly.

"Katniss Everdeen." I say shakily. "I'm here to see… Peeta Mellark."

The nurse looks at me suspiciously, but she nods at me anyways, and turns to Annie.

"Annie Cresta." Annie responds steadily. "I'm a friend too."

"First room on your right." She tells us in a clipped voice as she waves us through.

I hesitate at the door. A part of me doesn't want to see him. I don't want to face the reality, and I don't want to know how bad it is. But then I think that if our roles were reversed, Peeta wouldn't hesitate to see me. I gather up enough courage to push the door open, but I still can't seem to walk in.

"Come on, Katniss." Annie encourages me.

I step through the door and walk shakily to the bed. Annie stays by my side the whole time, not trying to rush me in any way.

"Peeta." Annie whispers brokenly. I gather up enough courage to look at Peeta, and I involuntarily gasp.

He looks so different from the Peeta I am used to. The first thing I see is that his head is bandaged, which makes fear rush through me. He once radiated life and happiness, but now, he is completely lifeless. His features are just _too_ pale, enunciating the dark bruises all over his face and arms. He looks completely exhausted, and wires are sticking out of him every which way.

I cautiously take a seat beside Peeta as Annie sits on his other side. I take one of Peeta's bandaged hands in both of my own, being careful not to disturb the IV wire. "Peeta?" I whisper softly. "Can you hear me?"

He makes no indication that he can hear me, and I turn to Annie. "Do you think he can hear me?"

"It's worth trying." Annie replies with a shrug. I see her take Peeta's other hand in her own, and whisper something to him.

"I'm here now." I whisper to his lifeless form. "Just get better."

I gently brush a wayward curl of blonde hair off his forehead, and he moans slightly. My hand immediately flies off his skin, because I'm afraid of hurting him any further. But then his eyes open, unmistakably blue against his pale skin and the white bed.

"Peeta." I whisper, smiling through my tears. His hand reaches up to his face, trying to get his oxygen mask off, but I reach out and gently grab his arm. "Don't try to talk." I gently murmur to him. "Just get better."

I gently kiss his forehead, and when I draw back, I see that his eyes are closed again and he's already dozed off again. I take hold of his hand again, and stare down at his sleeping form. He looks so much younger in sleep, almost like a young boy.

Mother walks through the door. She has a clipboard in hand, and she quickly looks at Peeta's vitals and scribbles something down on the clipboard. Prim and Mrs. Mellark follow her through as well.

Mrs. Mellark takes a seat next to me. She is crying softly as she stares down at Peeta's broken body. Prim stares down at her brother in shock, as if she still can't believe this is happening. I sympathize with Prim, because I feel like I am stuck in a bad, unending dream as well.

"He was awake a couple minutes ago." Annie tells my mom softly.

"Not for very long, right?" Mother asks, not pausing in her writing.

"No." I reply. "Just for a couple of seconds."

"I'm going to bring Peeta's doctor in so you can talk to him." Mother announces to the room at large. "I'll be right back." She adds before disappearing through the door.

Mother returns a couple minutes later with a gray-haired doctor. He has a kind face, and his light blue eyes are piercing and intelligent. "Hello. My name is Dr. Aurelius, and I will be Peeta's doctor." He introduces himself.

"Most of his injuries will heal with no permanent effects." Dr. Aurelius says as he looks down at Peeta's clipboard. "He has a concussion, lots of cuts and bruises, and two broken ribs."

I hear Mrs. Mellark sigh in relief at my side. Prim says, in a tremulous voice, "Peeta got a concussion in his very first football game freshman game." She laughs lightly at the memory. "He couldn't remember me for a full two hours."

I can't help but smile at how Prim can light up such a terrible atmosphere. I've noticed this quality in Peeta as well. But the somber mood settles over our group once Mother starts talking.

"What we are more concerned about," Mother says anxiously. "Is this."

She removes the bed cover off Peeta's left leg, and my heart clenches in pain. None of the injuries Dr. Aurelius has listed off compares to Peeta's leg. His leg doesn't even look like a leg anymore. I already know, without Mother saying anything, that is mutilated beyond repair. The flesh is red and mangled, and I can see that the ER doctors tried to stitch it up, but it doesn't look like it worked very well. The gingerbread cookies make a serious threat of coming back up, and I instinctively put a hand over my mouth. I can imagine that my face is some shade of green now.

"It's beyond repair." Dr. Aurelius explains as Mother quickly covers the leg. "There is a huge risk of an infection, and it will never properly heal enough to the point where he can walk again."

I feel light-headed at this news. I try as hard as I can to forget the image of Peeta's mangled leg, but it's been burned into my mind. What did Peeta ever do to deserve this?

"Are there… options?" Mrs. Mellark asks shakily. She reaches over me, and grasps Peeta's hand tightly.

"There are always options." Mother says softly. "You can leave it this way and hope that he doesn't get an infection, or you can choose to amputate it."

"Ampute?" I croak out in horror before I can stop myself.

Mrs. Mellark swallows thickly. "It won't get better?" She asks in clarification.

Dr. Aurelius shakes his head. "The injury is too deep. It's completely damaged."

Mrs. Mellark takes a deep breath, and reaches over to gently brush some hair off of Peeta's closed eyes. After a long pause, she turns to Dr. Aurelius and asks, "Can I have a moment to talk to my husband?"

"Of course." Dr. Aurelius says kindly. Mrs. Mellark hurries out to make the phone call, and I scoot closer to Peeta.

"Peeta?" I whisper. "I'm right here. Can you still hear me?"

"He probably can't hear you." Dr. Aurelius explains to me. "We re-sedated him so he wouldn't wake up again."

Before I can respond though, we hear screams coming through the door. "BARLEE MELLARK!" Mrs. Mellark screams from outside the room. "IS WORK MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOUR SON? YOU AND RYE HAVE TO COME HERE _NOW_!"

We stare at the door in complete silence. Mrs. Mellark's screams have subsided, but we can still hear her talking to Mr. Mellark in a lower voice. I turn back to Peeta, to find him still unconscious and pale.

"Why is he so pale?" Prim asks Dr. Aurelius hesitantly, voicing my thoughts exactly.

"He lost a lot of blood, and he is very tired as well." The doctor replies. "He needs rest."

Mrs. Mellark walks back into the room looking furious. Mrs. Mellark is normally very soft-spoken and kind, so I couldn't imagine her screaming until today. Prim rushes over to her Mother, and asks, "What's wrong, Mom?"

"Barlee and Rye are on a business trip, and they refused to come see Peeta until it's over." Mrs. Mellark snaps. "Since when is money more important than family?"

"When are they coming?" Prim asks softly. I can see anger in her delicate features, and I suddenly wonder why Peeta never told me about his brother and dad. He talked about his mom and Prim all the time, but not his brother and dad. What's wrong between them?

"Tomorrow afternoon. I made them book the first flight from Chicago to New York." Mrs. Mellark says promptly.

There is a long pause before anyone talks again. Mrs. Mellark is staring down at Peeta's sleeping figure silently. I see her pull back the cover on Peeta's leg and very gently trace one of the scars. A moment later, she pulls the cover back and turns to Dr. Aurelius and Mother.

"I want him to live." She says simply.

It takes me a couple seconds to comprehend that Mrs. Mellark has made her choice, but when I do, I agree wholeheartedly with her. If Peeta has one leg, it won't change how I feel about him. The important thing is that he'll be alive.

Mother nods. "I'll be right back with the papers of consent."

Once Mrs. Mellark signs the paper, we are ordered out of the room as Peeta is prepped for yet another surgery. I place a soft kiss on his cheek before I walk out. "I'll be back." I whisper softly in his ear.

Mother comes to the waiting room, and sees me sitting next to Annie. "Katniss, my shift is over." She tells me. "Come spend the night at home."

"I'm not leaving him." I say immediately. There is no way I am leaving this hospital with Peeta in surgery.

Mrs. Mellark turns to me and looks at me with her blue eyes that so resemble Peeta's. "Katniss, Peeta would want you to rest." She says. "Take Prim with you so she can rest too. I'll stay here and let you know if anything changes."

"I don't want to!" Prim snaps at her mom. "I can't leave Peeta."

"Prim." Mrs. Mellark pulls Prim close to her. "I'll call you if anything happens. Go rest so you can stay with him tomorrow."

Prim glares at her mother with a ferocity that I couldn't have imagined possible of her. "I'm staying." She enunciates each syllable carefully. "And so is Katniss."

"Katniss, he'll be in surgery for the next six hours." Mother tries to persuade me. "We'll be back first thing in the morning when my next shift starts."

"I'm staying." I whisper. I turn to hug Annie who is getting up to leave. "Thanks for bringing me." I tell her sincerely.

"Katniss, he's my friend too." She says quietly. "Call me if anything happens."

"I will." I promise her. "Thanks again."

"I'll be back at nine." Mother whispers to me as she hugs me. "Try to get some rest."

I nod to Mother. "See you tomorrow." I tell her. And since I am trying to improve our relationship, I add, "Good night."

"Good night, Katniss."

She and Annie walk towards the elevators, and with a last wave, they disappear inside.

Prim and I sit on the hard plastic chairs in utter silence as Mrs. Mellark goes looking for one of Peeta's nurses. It isn't I hear Prim sniffling twenty minutes later that I realize she is crying. I reach over, and hug her slender body. I don't hesitate to let her rest her head on my shoulder.

"What if something happens to Peeta?" Prim asks me tearfully.

"I don't know what I'd do." I tell Prim honestly.

"I know you love him." Prim says softly.

"I do." I murmur softly. Prim snuggles up against me more securely. And in that moment, I realize I have judged Prim too harshly. It almost feels like I have a younger sister as I hug her close to me. I've always wanted a sister, and in a way, it feels like I finally have one.

* * *

Prim and I wake up from a restless, agonizingly long night at five in the morning. A nurse informs us that Peeta is out of surgery. Our backs are stiff from sitting on the hard plastic chairs all night, and my whole body is numb. I know for a fact that Prim didn't even fall asleep until three in the morning, because I could hear her crying beside me all night.

I managed to fall asleep after three hours, but I had some of the worst nightmares I'd had since Gale's death. The sound of shattering glass on the pavement, white walls stained red, and long, unending screams. When I woke up, I realized those screams belonged to me.

The nurse finally ends our torturous night. Prim snaps awake and looks at the nurse blearily. "What?" She mumbles as she slowly arches her back and winces.

"Peeta is out of surgery." The nurse repeats patiently.

"Can we see him?" Prim asks excitedly. She flashes an adorable smile at the nurse, who immediately caves in.

"Yes." She smiles indulgently at Prim. "Just be quiet."

"Yay!" Prim squeals and claps her hand like a child. She grabs me around the shoulders and gives me a huge, bone-crunching hug.

When Prim finally releases me, I slowly drag myself out of the plastic chair, stretching my limbs one by one and staggering forward a couple steps. I slowly walk to the bathroom, and Prim follows me. Once I get to the mirror, I realize that I look like a zombie. There are dark circles under my eyes and my hair is sticking up in all directions. I throw some cold water on my face in an effort to wake myself up.

Prim skips out of the bathroom a moment later. I marvel at how her whole face seems to have lit up, in sharp contrast to last night.

Ten minutes later, Prim and I are both ready. Using Prim's comb, I braid my hair to the side over my shoulder instead of straight back. A few wisps of hair frame my face, but I still look exhausted and my eyes are red.

"Do you want to see Peeta now, or have breakfast first?" Prim asks brightly.

My stomach is rumbling, because I haven't eaten anything since the gingerbread cookies. The lasagna I heated up is probably still on our kitchen table right now. But I'd rather see Peeta than eat.

"I want to see Peeta really quickly." I tell Prim. "Then we can have breakfast."

Prim and I rush towards Peeta's room, and the nurse lets Prim and I in without question this time. Prim skips into Peeta's room cheerfully, and I walk in more quietly behind her.

Peeta looks marginally better today. His skin is less pale, and he is breathing without the oxygen mask. He still looks tired, and all the wires and tubes are still connected to him.

My eyes stray down to the area of his legs. There is only one fully formed leg under his covers. I can't resist pulling the cover over and staring down at what used to be Peeta's leg. It cuts off right above his knee, and is heavily bandaged.

I wonder how Peeta will react to the news that we let the doctors chop off his leg. I hope he knows that it won't change anything about him.

"It doesn't matter." Prim says quietly, as if reading my mind. She suddenly turns to face me. "Does it matter to you?"

"No." I say quickly. "I still feel the same way about him."

"Don't hurt my brother." Prim warns me. "Promise me."

"I promise." I say sincerely as I pull the cover back over Peeta's leg. "I would never hurt him."

Prim returns to her normal bubbly self. "Let's go down to the cafeteria and have some breakfast." She moans. "I'm starving!"

I squeeze Peeta's hand, and Prim and I quietly exit Peeta's room.

* * *

Peeta doesn't wake up that day or the next day. I mostly stay at home and go to school, and get updates about Peeta from Prim. Because Mr. Mellark and Peeta's brother have arrived and are spending their days with Peeta at the hospital, I feel awkward by staying and disrupting them. I feel like an intruder, even though Prim and Mrs. Mellark have been kind and welcoming.

I have become something of an overnight celebrity at school. Everyone wants to talk to me, and find out what happened to Peeta. Since I've never coped well around huge crowds, I last half a day before leaving. I can't stand the huge crowds, and all the unfamiliar people talking to me.

I'm sitting at home, staring at my ceiling and debating whether I should go see Peeta, when my mom pokes her head into my room.

"Katniss, would you go like to see Peeta?" She asks me. "He'll probably wake up, and you can talk to him."

I leap off my bed so quickly that I get a head rush. "Yes, please!" I say eagerly. "I'll be ready in a second."

I pull on my thickest sweater, because it's freezing outside. It's supposed to start snowing this week, and I'm terrified. For someone who is used to the warmer California weather, snow sounds downright foreign. But the thought of a snowy holiday is actually exciting.

Once I'm all bundled up, Mother and I take the elevator and head out to our car. We were only outside for a minute or so, but the small exposure made my teeth chatter beyond control. Mother and I get into her Honda, and we have to wait for a moment for the engine to adjust and the heater to start up.

Mother hums along with an oldies song on the radio to herself as we make the drive to the hospital. I'm excited to see Peeta awake, and actually talk with him. It's been a long three days without him around, and I miss him more than I thought ever possible.

It only takes a couple minutes to get to the hospital. I dread arriving at the hospital for several reasons. The first, most childish reason is that I don't want to go outside into the snow again. But the other reason is that I am actually nervous to see Peeta. I haven't been nervous around Peeta since the day at the cemetery, but now, I am downright scared. I don't know whether he'll be happy to see me or not. So much has changed in the past few days that I'm not sure where we stand anymore.

Old Katniss would have been too scared to even show up to the hospital. I would've stayed at home and never even left the apartment. I'm actually kind of proud of myself for stepping out of my shell.

These thoughts entertain me on the car ride and the quick walk through the hospital to get to Peeta. Peeta was moved out of the ICU and into a normal hospital room yesterday, so Mother and I don't head to the ICU. When we arrive at the desk, the nurse already seems to know me, and I recognize her as Peeta's night nurse in the ICU. She smiles and waves Mother and I right through.

The nervousness must show on my face, because Mother squeezes my hand. My immediate reaction is to flinch away from her touch, but I refrain from doing so. Mending our frayed relationship has been hard, but I don't want to keep pushing her away anymore.

"He's doing so much better, don't worry." Mother smiles encouragingly. "There's nothing to be nervous about."

I nod at Mother, and give her a brief smile, but I'm still a little on edge. Her words haven't appeased me much, because a nurse's idea of "much better" is so much different than mine. In my opinion, much better means perfectly healthy and normal, but in Mother's world, it means a small improvement. Over the years, I've learned not to trust nurses. They told me Gale was doing so much better, and he died two weeks later. Not too uplifting, especially in the present situation.

I knock on the closed door hesitantly. I'm still slightly shy of intruding on Peeta's family, so I feel somewhat tentative.

The door is pushed open, and for a moment, I see Peeta. My heart leaps excitedly, but then I see that those hazel eyes definitely do not belong to Peeta. Otherwise, the boy looks exactly like Peeta, with his blonde hair, muscular build, and kind facial features.

He stares at me in confusion for a moment, but then recognition crosses his features. "Hi, Katniss, right?" He opens the door more widely and I step in. "I'm Rye." He adds quickly. "Peeta's brother."

"Hi." I manage to squeak out, and stand awkwardly by the door of the room. I see Mrs. Mellark and Prim sitting next to Peeta, and an older, blonde haired man that must be Peeta's dad. He is sitting on the edge of his seat with his head in his hands. The room is quiet, and tension seems to be crackling in the air. Peeta sleeps blissfully, completely unaware of the tension in the room.

Mrs. Mellark looks up, and her eyes fill with relief when she sees me. She quickly gets up, and gives me a quick hug. "Hi dear." She smiles kindly at me. "We've been waiting for you!"

I don't know what to say to this, so I just smile and nod. "Do you mind sitting with Peeta for a little bit?" She asks me in bright voice. "We've been sitting here with him all day."

"Sure." I say with a smile. I don't miss Mrs. Mellark's hidden message, though. I can see that she is dying to get out of this enclosed room before someone explodes. Not for the first time, I wonder what has brought about the tension in the Mellark family.

"We'll just go have some dinner downstairs." Mrs. Mellark throws a sharp glance at Peeta's dad. "Come on, Barlee. Let's go get something to eat."

Mr. Mellark gets up wordlessly, and throws me a suspicious glance. On first glance, he resembles Peeta and Rye very closely. But when I look closer, I see none of the kindness so obviously etched in Peeta and Rye's faces. I try to ignore his glance, but I can't completely shake it off. The rest of the Mellark family, even Rye, throws me a wide, friendly smile before leaving the room. Still, I wait for everyone to leave before heading closer to Peeta and sitting beside him.

I admit with relief that Mother was right. Peeta _does_ look so much better today. Most of the bruises have faded, and the bandages have come off his head, chest, and arms. Even though I don't want my thoughts to stray down that direction, I can't help but stare down at Peeta's well-defined, muscular, and naked chest. My heart starts pounding immediately, and I feel a blush heat up my cheeks. I'm tempted to pull the covers up, but I don't want to bother Peeta.

Instead, I take one of his hands in mine, and start by talking to him again. "Peeta?" I ask softly. "Are you awake?"

Peeta just sleeps on, and suddenly, the stress and exhaustion of the past three days catches up with me. My nights are spent restlessly tossing and turning, and when I actually manage to sink into sleep, I have nightmares of being trapped in cars, and Peeta calling for help. But I never get there in time.

I lean down onto the bed, and snuggle into Peeta's body, being careful not to hit his leg or any of the wires. Before long, I'm being lulled to sleep by the sound of Peeta's reassuringly steady heartbeat against my ear, and his warmth enveloping my cold body.

* * *

When I wake up, I feel someone playing with my hair. At first, I don't know where I am or what I'm doing there, but it all rushes back within moments.

The hand keeps on playing with my hair, and I look up to find Peeta's tired blue eyes inches from mine, and his hands tangled in my hair.

He smiles softly, and I can already feel tears pooling in my eyes. "Hey." He breathes out quietly.

"Peeta!" I gasp. "I've been so worried about you!"

He laughs weakly. "I woke up, and you were here." He says in a raspy voice. "I want to wake up and see you every day."

I laugh, and I can actually feel tears coursing down my cheeks. I try to wipe them away before Peeta sees, but it doesn't work.

"What's wrong?" Peeta looks at me in concern, which is insane. He's the one lying in a hospital, so I should be concerned for him, not the other way around. His hand reaches up to gently wipe the tears off my cheek.

"Nothing." I say, but then add, "I thought you were going to die!"

"I promised I'd never leave you." Peeta says softly. "I wasn't going to break my promise to you."

His sweet words make me feel even more happy and undeserving of him. "I missed you." I tell him, and realize how mushy I sound. Only Peeta can make me feel this way.

"I did too." He tells. "I don't remember much about the last couple days, but I remember missing you."

"I was so scared." I admit in a whisper. "It was so unreal."

I rub his hand reassuringly, and an easy silence falls between us. "So, what happened?" Peeta asks me in a light voice. "I don't remember much."

"There was a car." I begin cautiously. "It crashed into your driver's side after running a red light."

"That's it?" He asks, looking at me piercingly, as if trying to draw the truth out of me.

"You've been here for three days." I say, trying to avoid the subject of the injuries.

Peeta sits up slowly, and leans against his pillows with a small moan. "Have you been here the whole time?" He asks me curiously.

Even though I feel terrible for telling him the truth, I do it anyways. "I spent the first night with you." I respond. "And most of the days too, until Mother's shift ended."

"You didn't have to." Peeta says softly. "But thank you."

"You woke up for a minute or so." I remind him. "Don't you remember?"

Peeta slowly shakes his head. "No, I don't really remember anything since we made gingerbread cookies." He explains with a casual smile.

"That's fine." I say with a relieved smile. I'm guessing that's one of the effects of his concussion, but I don't complain. It could've been so much worse.

"So, why am I here?" He asks the question I've been trying to evade.

"Just for precaution." I say easily. "You have a concussion, a couple bruises, and a couple broken ribs, but that's it, really."

Peeta nods his head, giving me a long, searching look. His eyes stray down to his legs. Underneath the covers, the outline of his leg cuts off right above his knee. I stare down with him, my heart pounding with nerves as I wait for him to say something.

Peeta takes a deep breath before talking. "Am I imagining things?" He asks me in an almost hopeful voice.

I shake my head, but quickly explain. "It doesn't make you any different, Peeta." I rush. "You're still you."

Peeta looks at me in disbelief. "Aren't you disgusted?"

"No!" I say in alarm. "Of course not! Why would I be disgusted?"

Peeta's cheeks turn red, but I can see the relief in his eyes. "So, you'll still take me?"

"Of course." I smile in relief. "Why would you even think I'd leave?"

"I don't really know." Peeta replies. "Just insecure, I guess."

"Don't be." I rebuke him. "You're being silly."

Peeta arches an eyebrow. "Really?" He says teasingly. "Come here then."

I carefully snuggle up against him, carefully avoiding the wires sticking out of his chest. Peeta gets annoyed, and he digs the wires out with a wince. I glare at him in an effort to be stern, but end up smiling.

"Who cares?" He mutters. "I don't like wires and IVs anyways."

I snuggle up against him, listening to his steady, comforting breaths. "Where's my family?" He asks me a moment later. "Did they forget about me?"

I shake my head. "They're having dinner." I reply. "Why, are you bored of me already?"

Peeta's blue eyes widen adorably. "Why would you even think that?" He asks me.

Before I can answer, we hear the door open. I quickly leap out of Peeta's bed, and sit down on the chair closest to his bed seconds before Peeta's family come in.

"Peeta!" Prim is the first to reach Peeta and hug him. Mrs. Mellark is next, and Rye gives Peeta a one-armed hug and a tentative smile, which Peeta quickly returns. Mr. Mellark stays off to the side, and gives Peeta a mechanical smile before sitting down.

I grab my purse, and give Peeta's hand one last squeeze. "I'll be back later, alright?" I say softly. I bend down and gently kiss his forehead.

"But you just came!" Mrs. Mellark says cheerfully. Seeing Peeta awake seems to have boosted her spirits. "Please stay a little longer!"

I feel so put on the spot that I sit back down next to Prim. Peeta is still very tired, so he falls back asleep within the hour. Mother comes in and reattaches Peeta's IV, and jokes that Peeta is the rebel of the ward.

About ten minutes later, another woman steps through. She has an athletic build, and dark mocha skin. She introduces herself as Atala, Peeta's physical therapy trainer. She explains that she and Peeta will start his therapy tomorrow, and that he'll be walking again in no time.

Mother ends up working an extended shift through the night, so I end up staying with Peeta all night again. Thankfully, Mr. Mellark and Rye leave about half an hour later, leaving just Mrs. Mellark and Prim in the room with me.

I sit on the chair closest to Peeta's head, not caring that it is uncomfortable and will cause my back to ache tomorrow. I grab Peeta's hand, gently rubbing small circles into his skin. All the worry of the past few days has melted away, and I feel completely relieved. I was so scared of Peeta's reaction to his missing leg, but he seems alright so far.

I stare down at his face, committing each feature to memory. I almost feel like I'm spying on him, which in a way, I am. I gently trace the outline of his jaw with my fingers, and brush his unruly blonde hair off his face.

I'm still holding Peeta's hand when I start drifting off. The quiet beeping of the monitors and Peeta's steady breaths lull me to sleep, and in no time at all, I'm asleep. For the first time since Peeta's accident, I have no nightmares.

* * *

**I really want to thank you all for the awe-inspiring response to this story. I just want to take a moment to thank all my anonymous reviewers as well. I know I can't send you previews or PM you to show you how much I appreciate you, but just know that I love you guys too. So, to all my readers, thank you! **

**The next chapter will be up very soon. It is the last chapter of this series, and then, I have an epilogue for all you lovely readers, because you guys are awesome and you deserve it.**

**A little off topic, but I'm looking for a new story to write after this is done. If you have any ideas, please PM me, and I'd love to talk to you guys about it! I would like to stick in AU area, though. I am open to anything, but I have to like the idea to write it well. Thank you! **

**Next chapter: The ups and downs of Peeta's recovery from his POV and some Mellark family angst. I might have a couple surprises too. :)**

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**Lots of Love,**

**Pearl 3**


	16. Chapter 15: Peeta

**~Sketching Out Our Love~**

**~Chapter 15~**

* * *

**Hi everyone! I can't even begin to tell you how thankful I am for all of you! You are all so awesome and I can't ask for better readers! Now that this story is winding down, your support means the world to me. I am honored to write for all you great people, and your reviews and PM's always make my day. So, thank you for being AMAZING! **

**I don't have much to babble on about, so I guess I'll just let you guys get straight to the chapter. **

**Enjoy! 3**

***Peeta POV***

* * *

If I tried hard enough, I could almost feel my leg. I imagined myself moving my nonexistent toes and bending my knee. It was like my leg was still there, and I could almost make myself believe it. The phantom feeling gets stronger and stronger, until I am forced to lift the covers aside to see for myself.

My heart sinks a little when I see that my leg does indeed cut off above my knee. I already knew, deep down, that it was gone, but I was hanging to a small hope. Having it confirmed again makes me feel like I've lost my leg all over again. I sit back up, making sure to cover my leg on the way. I don't want to look at it longer than needed.

Even though Katniss doesn't seem too worried about the loss of my leg, it's not that easy for me. I've lost a part of myself that I won't be able to ever get back. Despite what I've told her, the loss of my leg has been a shock. I wish that somehow, I could've kept it.

The early morning sun shines brightly through my open window, but I can't muster up enough happiness to fully appreciate it. Mom and Prim have already woken up and left the room, probably for breakfast. Dad and Rye spent the night at home. I've seen a change in Rye, which excites me. He seems more playful, like the Rye I remember from childhood. I just wish I didn't have to pay such a heavy price to get my full-of-fun brother back.

I watch Katniss sleep for several minutes. She sleeps peacefully, her features relaxed and free of her usual scowl. I smile to myself as I see Katniss scowl at me in my mind's eye. She stirs in her chair beside my bed a moment later, and I see her slowly stretch her body out. She drowsily opens one eye, and mumbles, "Good morning, Peeta." to me.

"Good morning, beautiful." I reply, pasting a smile on my face. "How did you sleep?"

"Terribly." She scowls at my greeting, which makes me grin. "This chair isn't very comfortable."

The grin drops from my face, and I suddenly feel bad, because it's my fault she had to sleep in a hospital chair anyways. "You didn't have to stay." I say softly. "I'm sorry."

"Of course I had to stay." Katniss says matter-of-factly as she gets off the chair and walks over to me. "Don't be ridiculous, Peeta."

"How are you feeling?" She asks me in concern. I watch her silvery eyes examine me carefully, and I feel self-conscious under her gaze. "Does anything hurt?"

My head still feels a little heavy, and there's an ache in my chest, no doubt coming from my broken ribs. But the physical pain is easily ignorable, especially when compared to the emotional pain.

"I feel fine." I reply honestly. "I feel way better than I did yesterday."

"Good." Katniss exhales out in relief. She gives me a tentative smile, and I see her play with her fingers anxiously. It's a nervous habit of hers, and I know it means that she wants to say something.

"I just knew that something had happened." She began nervously, as I'd predicted. "I'd been restless and antsy for a couple days."

"Katniss," I say gently, grabbing her hand. "You couldn't have known."

"I felt like it was my fault." Katniss whispers in shame. "I felt like if I just said something to you, to _warn_ you, this wouldn't have happened."

"It's not your fault." I reiterate firmly as I rub her hand comfortingly.

"I saw you- so pale and sick and injured- and I remembered…" Katniss pauses for a moment, but I already know what she will say next.

"I know." I murmur softly. "I'm sorry, Katniss. I won't ever be able to replace Gale, but I will always try to help you."

She doesn't say anything, but climbs on my bed and rests her head on my chest. I hold her gently as we lay in my bed together silently. After a couple minutes, she talks again. "You looked so much like he did when he was dying." She murmurs. "I thought you were going to die like Gale did."

"I'm not leaving you unless you want me to." I reassure her as I rub her back gently.

"It hurt me more to see you hurt than it did with Gale." She explains. "I thought losing him was the worst pain, and then I almost lost you."

She is so rarely open about her feelings like this. I know Katniss cares about me, but she doesn't always express them. Which is why I cherish the moments she does talk about her feelings so much.

Katniss lifts her head from my tear-stained shirt. Her hand gently brushes against my chest, and I know she feels the bandages under her hand.

"I'm sorry." She murmurs. "I hurt your ribs, didn't I?"

I roll my eyes at her unneeded concern. "It's fine." I soothe her.

"You need to tell me if I hurt you." She says seriously. "I just want you to get better."

"I don't want to stay here forever either." I grin at her as I gesture at my hospital room.

"Shut it." Katniss really smiles for the first time all day. "I'm going to go find your breakfast."

She leaves the room, closing the door behind her quietly. I lean back against my pillow as I wait patiently for Katniss. My stomach rumbles, and I wish that the nurses would let me eat cookies all day. My hopes are crushed when Katniss returns balancing a tray and grinning wickedly at me.

"I hope you're hungry." She teases lightly.

She makes me eat the whole entire tray. It takes an hour of begging, coaxing, threatening, and even kissing, but I eventually empty the plate. Katniss looks proud of herself, and I hide my smile from her. She doesn't know the effect she can have on me.

My relatively good mood evaporates into thin air when an athletic woman walks into the room thirty minutes after breakfast. The woman introduces herself as Atala, my physical therapist.

I don't want to face my new leg or any of the complications that will come with it. I somehow thought that I would have a little longer before they make me start walking again, but Atala won't have any of that. She seems like a very business-like and no nonsense sort of person.

Katniss smiles at me encouragingly as Atala leaves my room to get something. "I'll stay with you." She promises me.

"Thanks." I mumble. I'm not looking forward to this session, especially with Katniss there. I don't want her to see me fall flat on my face as I learn to walk again like a child.

"It's going to be fine." Katniss tells me encouragingly. "I know you're going to do great."

I wish I could have a little more faith in myself.

What little self-esteem I had before dissolves as Atala walks in again holding a metal and plastic contraption. It's shaped exactly like a leg, but that's where all resemblances to a normal human leg disappears. It's shiny and metallic, and looks heavy and bulky. I stare at what is to replace my leg in horror.

Katniss senses my distress. "It's going to be fine, Peeta." She says as she squeezes my hand encouragingly.

The door to my room opens as Mother, Prim, Rye, and Dad walk in as quietly as they can. Rye waves at me cheerfully. He says something to Prim, who kicks him good-naturedly. I unconsciously smile as I watch my family start acting like a real family again.

Atala shows me how to put the prosthetic on, and take it off again. She explains that it is too heavy to sleep with, and I will need to take it off before bed every night. After having me slip the prosthetic on and off a couple times, Atala decides to get me out of bed.

I sit on the edge of the bed, making sure to balance all my weight on my right leg. Even though Atala has reassured me that my prosthetic left leg will support my weight, I don't want to test it yet. Atala helps me up slowly, and I immediately shift all my weight to my "real" leg.

Atala notices me swaying on my one real leg, but she doesn't say anything. Instead, she smiles and says, "You'll have plenty of chances to use your new leg, Peeta."

Atala helps me into a wheelchair, and then we go down the hallway, into the elevator, and finally, inside a large room. Katniss and my family follow, and take seats at the edge of the room. I notice Katniss talking to Prim and Rye. As I look at them, Katniss suddenly laughs at something Rye said.

Atala pushes me to the balance beams, and I force my eyes away from Katniss, Rye, and Prim. A wave of determination rushes through me as I stare at the beams. It isn't that long, only about ten feet, and I'm determined to walk the whole thing on my own.

Once I'm on my feet, I test out the prosthetic carefully. It's actually the same weight as my normal leg, but it still feels like I'll fall if I try to put any weight on it. My first steps are shaky, wobbly, and slow. I throw most of my weight onto my right side because I'm still not used to the prosthetic.

Atala tries to get me to use my new leg more, but two hours later, I'm still struggling. My hands are clenched around the beams so hard that my knuckles are white, but I can't seem to get my fake leg to work. By the end of the two hours, I'm sweaty, angry, and in pain.

"That's enough for today." Atala says softly, taking pity on me. "Tomorrow, we'll work on upper body strength."

"Sounds fun." I reply sarcastically as Atala helps me back into my chair. I'm so disheartened and annoyed that I lash out at her for no reason. Shame rushes through me as I stare down at my metal leg.

"Not with that attitude." Atala snaps at me. "I can only help you so much, Peeta. In the end, it comes down to determination."

I ignore Atala, and watch Katniss head over towards me. Katniss carefully wheels me back to my room as Atala talks to my family back in the physical therapy room. I'm furious, not to mention embarrassed and dejected.

"You did really well today." Katniss says softly once she has helped me into my bed. I detect no sarcasm in her tone, but the comment still rubs me the wrong way.

"Really?" I scowl at her. "Are you just trying to humiliate me even further?"

I see the hurt and confusion written all over her beautiful face. "No." She replies steadily. "I really meant that."

"Sure you did." I say in the same biting tone. "You just want to make me feel even worse."

"Peeta, these things will take time." Katniss says encouragingly. "My mom has worked with a lot of patients with amputated limbs, and you won't magically start walking right away."

I know I'm being unreasonable and narrow-minded, but I can't help it. There are too many pent-up emotions bubbling up inside of me. "Why don't you just leave? I don't want you around if you want to make this even harder on me!"

I don't realize the full impact of what I've said until it's out of my mouth and way too late. Katniss stares at me in shock, and I can see her trying to hide the hurt.

"Fine, I'll leave." She says in a clipped voice, arranging her features into an emotionless mask. "Just don't expect me to come back."

She grabs her bag from the side of my bed, and walks to the door. She doesn't look back or hesitate as she quickly leaves the room and closes the door behind her.

I breathe out heavily as I lean back against the pillows. I've just messed up everything with Katniss for no reason. She was just trying to help, and now I've made her mad. Just when she was starting to trust me, I betray her. I burrow under my covers, as if trying to hide from the world. But no matter how high I pull the covers up, Katniss's face is still burned into my mind's eye, and I can't escape from her.

I've wronged her. If I were a better person, I wouldn't have let her leave. I would've apologized to her. I can't find a single thing to be happy about, and it's all I can do not to scream at my stupidity.

I've really messed up now. I've ruined everything just because I'm so self-absorbed.

I hear the door open, but I don't move or react in any way. Soft footsteps head to my bed. For a moment, I think that it's Katniss coming back, and my heart lifts. But then the covers are lifted, and I see the blonde hair and pale features of Prim.

"Where's Katniss?" She asks me brightly, unaware that anything has taken place.

"She's not coming back." I snap at Prim. I feel bad, aware that I'm hurting everyone around me today, but I seem to be going from bad to worse.

"I can see why she isn't." Prim replies angrily, taking in my angry features. "You're being an arrogant, self-conceited jerk."

"Fine." I retaliate. "And you're just an annoying kid who doesn't understand anything."

Prim heads out of my room without another word. When a nurse comes in to check on me ten minutes later, I pretend to be in terrible pain, and have her give me enough morphine until I'm fully knocked out.

* * *

When I come back to, the room is dark, and I realize I've slept through the whole day. I look around the room carefully, and see my dad dozing on the reclining chair a couple feet away. I'm surprised that he's even bothered to stay.

I slowly sit up in bed. Now that I'm awake, there is no way I'll ever be able to fall back asleep. But the bed creaks as I shift around, betraying me. My dad starts awake as he anxiously searches the room for the source of the noise. Then he sees me sitting up in bed, and gets up and comes to a chair closer to me.

He wordlessly fills a glass of water for me, and I take it from him and drink slowly. I don't realize that my stomach is rumbling with hunger until he speaks up.

"You slept through the whole day." He says gruffly. "I'll have the nurse bring in some food."

I just nod, not trusting myself to speak. I seem to have a penchant to say all the wrong things today, and I don't need to hurt anyone else's feelings. I've already done enough.

"Peeta." My dad clears his throat. "I know I haven't been the best dad. I haven't been there for you."

I shrug. My dad's indifference towards me used to bother me, but it's become a part of my life now.

My dad is a man of very few words, so he struggles to find the right words. He isn't good at admitting his mistakes, and I know that this must be a first for him.

"When your mom called and told me about… the accident, I thought you'd die." He says shakily. "I thought you'd die without me telling you… I really do care about you."

I sit silently, sipping on my water as I wait for Dad to continue. "I know it seems like I kind of pushed you off to the side. It was always about Rye and Prim. You were just the middle kid, and I thought you weren't anything special."

"That's what it felt like." I reply bluntly, not making a secret out of my anger for his actions.

"I wish it didn't come to this. I wish I could've realized my mistake before the accident." My dad admits. "I'm so sorry, Peeta."

I have memories of my dad taking Rye to baseball games and playing ball with him as a child. I remember him holding Prim in his lap, and playing with her dolls and tickling her. I don't have any memories of Dad doing any of those things with me.

"It's ok, Dad." I murmur. I'm not normally one to hold a grudge, and this time isn't any different. And just like that, it's over. My dad is the only person I know who can compress a serious conversation like this one into two short minutes.

A nurse walks in with a tray of food, and I force some of it down. The hospital food is truly revolting, and I'm yearning for the bakery bread and cookies. Dad seems to read my mind, because he says, "We can smuggle in some real food for you tomorrow."

"And, that girl." My dad adds suddenly. My heart freezes, because I'm fully expecting him to say something negative about Katniss. "She seems very nice. You shouldn't give up on her."

"Katniss." I confirm. When Dad nods, I add, "I'm going to talk to her."

"Sleep now." He says to me. Dad finally cracks a grin. It's the first time I've seen him smile at me in years. "There'll be plenty of time for that in the morning."

I smile, already thinking about my next physical therapy session. These two things- walking and making it up to Katniss- are connected in my head. I know that to make it up to Katniss, I need to leave this hospital and go see her. And I can't leave until I can walk again. I'm determined to turn things around, and fix all my mistakes once and for all.

* * *

**(Two weeks later)**

"Look at you, Peeta." Atala smiles proudly at me. "I knew you could do it."

I smile back at her, feeling proud of myself for the first time in weeks. I take a couple more steps forward, balancing my weight equally on both my legs. The frustration of the past two weeks has faded away, and has been replaced by relief.

"Can you make it back to your room?" Atala asks me.

"Yes." I reply in determination. It's already been two weeks since my first physical therapy session, where I acted like a child and pushed Katniss away. She hasn't come to see me, or called at all. I don't blame her, though. It was my fault, so it's a mistake I'm going to have to fix.

It's been a long, grueling two weeks of physical therapy. Atala keeps me in longer and pushes me further each day. Having Katniss gone has forced me to devote all my time to my therapy. With each passing day, the metal limb feels less foreign and more normal.

Atala pushes my now unneeded wheelchair to the corner of the room, and once she's back beside me, we begin the long walk to my room. I lean heavily on a cane, and my steps are slow, but I keep going, determined to make it to my room on my own. Atala walks patiently beside me, not talking or rushing me. I have to stop several times, but by the time we reach my room, I'm pleased with myself. My determination to see Katniss again has really paid off.

Several of my nurses smile fondly at me as I walk to my room. I even see Katniss's mom, who waves at me, but doesn't say anything. I'm tempted to ask her how Katniss is doing, but then she walks away.

"Once you can walk without the cane, we'll release you." Atala informs me as I carefully lower myself onto my bed. "I'm really proud of you, Peeta."

Atala is very attached to her patients. Yesterday, she explained to me that her husband was hit by a car and killed five years ago. Since then, she has been trying to help car accident victims in memory of her husband. I know that she sees what could have been for her husband every time she helps someone.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Peeta." Atala says as she gets up to leave my room.

"Bye, Atala." I say. I'm already determined to get released from this hospital tomorrow, and Atala sees the glint in my eyes.

"Don't forget how far you've come." Atala cautions me. "Things like this don't happen overnight."

I force myself to nod. Of course Atala is right, and so was Katniss when she told that to me two weeks ago. Atala doesn't want me to get my hopes up too high and get them crushed.

The second Atala closes the door; I grab the bag of cookies, cheesy buns and muffins that Dad and Rye brought over in the morning. True to his word, Dad has been "sneaking" food in for me for the past week. The nurses know, so it isn't really sneaking. Then again, the nurses got a hefty bonus from Mom and Dad last week, so that might be part of the reason.

The cookies are a little stale from sitting outside all day, but they are still perfectly good and edible. They also happen to be more preferable than the hospital food. I start with the cheesy buns, and after I've eaten so much cookies and muffins that I feel like I'm going to explode, I put the bag of food back on the side table and grab my new notebook.

Dad used to always get angry when he saw me drawing. He thought it was too girly a pastime. So, for years, I had to hide my artwork from my dad. But then, two days ago, Dad walked into my room holding a new sketchbook for me. I recognized that his gift was so much deeper than met the eye. Not only was he giving me a drawing book, but he had also given me his approval. Which was something that meant the world to me.

I had decided to make this one of Katniss's Christmas presents. The notebook holds sentimentality for me because it's from Dad, and it will be special for Katniss too. I've made it as a timeline of our time together so far, with plenty of blank pages for the future. It's almost a sketchbook detailing our relationship, if such a thing could exist.

Since I have so much free time here in the hospital, I've made a project out of this. I will sit in bed for hours at a time, fully immersed in my own little world. The calming, consistent strokes of my pencil and the blossoming of a picture on a formerly blank paper are satisfying and calming.

Today is no different. I sit in bed, my good leg bent at the knee as I slowly draw a picture of Katniss. This is a picture of the day she went to visit Gale's grave in California and I followed her. I draw her as I saw her that day- tired and broken, but beautiful, as always. I draw the picture down to the very last detail, and then begin coloring the picture in with my new pencils. On a whim, I add in the cat I saw walking around the graveyard that day. When I'm fully satisfied with the picture, I set it down to fully dry for a couple minutes.

Once the picture is dry, I flip through the pictures I've already drawn. The first picture is the first time I ever saw Katniss in my English class in the first day of school. I make sure to draw Glimmer in the background of that picture, almost as if to foreshadow the situation with her and Snow. In all the pictures, I have added an aspect to foreshadow some part of our journey.

It's calming, uplifting work, and before long, I'm thinking about my future with Katniss. In my mind's eye, I see the many pictures of Katniss that I could end up drawing. _Our Prom. Our high school graduation. College_.

I stop thinking about our major milestones before I get completely carried away. As Atala said, getting your hopes up too high isn't wise.

I hope as hard as I can that our story didn't tragically end the day I made her leave.

* * *

**(Three days later)**

I blink several times as my eyes try to adjust to the sunlight. Even the weak November sunlight is proving to be too bright for my eyes after spending three weeks in a hospital. But after being cooped up for so long, the fresh, cold air is invigorating. The first snowfall was nearly two months ago now, so the swirling snow around me is nothing special.

You can barely tell I have a prosthetic under my jeans, which is a huge relief. I'm still not ready to show the metal leg to everyone as I walk around. But my physical therapy with Atala has really paid off as well. Now I can walk without any support, and my limp is barely noticeable. When I said my goodbye to Atala this morning, she actually looked tearful. I know she's proud of how far I've come in such a short time.

Rye is taking me home today. Mom, Dad, and Prim are at home getting a "surprise party" together for me. Rye actually told me on accident. He is a terrible secret-keeper, but I've sworn not to let anyone know that Rye told me.

Rye hovers protectively by my side as we take the short walk down to the car. He holds my bag, and all the candy that the nurses gave me as I left my room. I elbow Rye teasingly. "Why are you hovering?" I ask him lightly.

"I don't want you to fall flat on your face." Rye answers as he elbows me back.

"You're not helping." I respond as I pretend to stumble. Rye automatically reaches out to grab me as I start laughing.

"Not funny." He mutters at me under his breath once he realizes I was messing around with him.

Just a month ago, my family was so dysfunctional that we could barely sit in the same room together. The only regret I have is that it took a near-death experience for my family to become close again.

Prim told me yesterday that the guy who hit me got a scratch on his arm. According to the paramedics, he didn't even need a bandage for it. But his insurance has forced him to pay for the damages to my car, and some of the medical costs as well.

I don't know how I feel about the person who ran me over. It's a numb feeling, similar to the feeling I've come to associate with my amputated leg. It's easier to just not think about the person who crashed into me.

The drive home is silent. The only sound is the radio in the background. I sit in the passenger seat as Rye drives. Rye drove to the hospital in my car, which has been perfectly restored. I never saw the damage to the car, but Dad told me that the driver's side was crushed. Atala told me that since it was my left leg that was injured; I'll still be able to drive.

I'm surprised when we don't go straight home. Instead, Rye parks in front of a large apartment complex. It takes me a minute to register where we are. Rye has taken me to Katniss's house.

Rye glances at me, noticing my hesitation. His hazel eyes look at my shocked face as he says, "Don't you have something to say?"

I don't hesitate with my answer. "Yes." The fact that Rye understands that I need to talk to Katniss is hugely relieving.

"Then go say it." Rye says simply.

It feels like it takes me years to get out of the car and into the apartment complex, even though it only takes a couple minutes. I take the elevator up to the apartment, mostly because I don't think my leg can handle stairs yet.

My heart is beating like a caged bird's wings when I knock on Katniss's apartment door. I swallow nervously, and run a hand through my hair anxiously. When she doesn't answer, I knock again.

A hundred thoughts run through my head. I'm thinking the worst, and she doesn't even want to hear what I have to say, when the door slowly opens.

I haven't realized how much I've missed her until she stands in front of me. Her dark hair is in a messy bun, and she's wrapped in two oversized sweaters. When I remember she is from California, I can't help but chuckle. She'll be wearing four sweaters by the time January rolls around.

She glares defensively at me, and then I realize that she must think I must be laughing at her. I mentally smack myself for being so stupid.

"Hi." I say awkwardly as I shift my leg from one leg to the other.

Katniss's steely eyes soften for a moment before closing off again. "Do you want to sit down?" She asks me stiffly. I notice how her eyes stay on my left leg a moment longer than necessary.

I realize that even after I've hurt her, she's still looking out for me. The thought fills me with hope, and I smile idiotically again. "Sure." I say graciously as I follow her into the living room and collapse on one of the chairs.

She sits opposite me, and stares at me expectantly. I swallow again before beginning.

"I'm sorry." I blurt out. "I was acting like the world's biggest idiot."

The top of Katniss's lips quirk up into a small smile. "Yes, you were."

"I'm sorry about everything." I repeat, leaning forward and placing my hands on my knees. "Can we just forget about that day?"

Katniss doesn't answer for a moment. "I shouldn't have walked out." She admits. "I knew you didn't mean it, but I let my emotions get the best of me."

I shake my head firmly. "Don't make excuses for me." I say firmly. "It was my fault."

"You can't take all the blame." She says to me. "I definitely deserve some too."

"Fine." I concede. "You should come here." I add, patting the spot on the couch next to me.

Katniss doesn't need to be told twice. She hops over to sit beside me, and I unconsciously wrap my arms around her. She leans in to my chest, and I play with her hair gently. We sit in silence for a moment, enjoying each other's presence.

"Do you want something to eat?" Katniss asks me politely. "I was just heating up some food when you knocked."

"Rye is waiting outside." I admit. "But you're welcome to come with us. If you want to, of course."

Katniss looks down at my pants curiously. "How's your leg?" She asks me, concern tinting her voice.

"Good as new." I shrug. "I did a lot of therapy after you left."

Katniss nods and admits, "I never saw the leg as changing you." She tells me gently. "I hope you know that now."

"Thanks." I say softly as I rub the hard metal of my leg. "I didn't know that two weeks ago, but I do now."

She smiles happily, and comes to help me off the couch. We stay in our embrace a moment to long before Katniss breaks away, to my disappointment.

Katniss looks at me expectantly. "Are you ready?"

"For what?" I ask in confusion.

"Well, you invited me to your house, right?" Katniss grins. "Are you uninviting me now?"

I laugh in relief as I realize it's over. Katniss forgave me. "No, I want you to come." I say earnestly. "I missed you while you were gone."

"I did too." Katniss admits shyly. "But I knew you'd come back to me."

I push up off her couch with her help. When my lips finally meet hers, it's like a huge weight is lifted off my shoulders. I didn't even realize how much I've missed her and wanted her to be with me until she was here beside me.

"Do you think I need another jacket?" Katniss asks me anxiously as she quickly runs a brush through her hair.

I laugh at her concern. "I'll give you one of mine if you need it."

Katniss smiles at me before pulling a hair band out of her jeans pocket. She makes to braid her hair, but I catch her wrist and stop her.

"It looks better down." I explain to her. "Leave it down."

"Do I look good?" Katniss asks me anxiously. "I don't want your family to think I'm insane."

"You look beautiful." I tell her with a smile. "And my family loves you."

"Ok, let's go." Katniss says casually. She grabs my hand, and I see how she matches her pace to my slower, heavier one.

"You'd be a terrible hunter." Katniss teases me. "You'd scare any rabbit within a ten-mile radius."

"Luckily for me, I'm not a hunter." I smile as she wraps herself closer to me when we step out into the cold air.

"Luckily." Katniss enunciates. "But I'll take you either way."

When our lips meet, it's like bliss. The cold November air and the ever-constant aches in my leg vanish when our lips come together. She's the first person I've ever felt love for, and I know, deep down, that I will never love anyone in the same way again.

"You don't know how beautiful you are." I tell her softly in amazement. I can hear Rye hooting in the background, but Katniss and I both ignore him.

"I could say the same about you." She responds, weaving her fingers through mine as we walk to the car where Rye waits.

"Real or not real?" I ask her softly. "You love me?"

"Real." She answers without hesitation. "It might seem like I don't on some days, but it will always be real."

"You are my dream." I tell her simply. "I can't imagine life without you now that I know you."

* * *

**THE END!**

**Haha, it's not really the end. I do have a better ending planned out, but I didn't want to give anything away with this chapter. After all, there's still the epilogue. :)**

**Also, sorry for any spelling/grammar mistakes. I tried checking through the chapter… but there still might be a couple typos. :)**

**I want to thank all of you a bazillion times for the massive amount of support I've received for this story, from the beginning to the end. For those of you, who have stuck around since Chapter 1, thank you so much! For all you newcomers, thank you too! All of you mean the world to me! :)**

**Also, thank you for all the lovely reviews for this past chapter! There were so many reviews that it took me ages to send out all your previews! But I love talking to all my readers, so keep reviewing, please! :)**

**I will send a preview of the Epilogue if you review, like always. I already have some of it written out, so it won't be very long before the last update. I will announce my next story with the epilogue as well. **

**Thank you for following me on this amazing journey, and I will see you all again very soon with the Epilogue! **

**-Pearl 3**


	17. Epilogue: Katniss

**~Sketching Out Our Love~**

**~Epilogue~**

**Hi everyone! I really can't believe this is already the last chapter! I've gotten really attached to this story and to all my awesome readers, so it's really sad to already be at the last chapter. But I am so incredibly thankful to all of my great readers- you always made it an honor to write this story. Thank you! I also have a couple notes at the bottom of this chapter about the epilogue, and my next story if you are interested. **

**I am sorry about the long wait for this final update. Real life and FanFiction clashed, but real life had to take priority. So, thank you for your patience. **

**So, I'm really pushing the "T" rating with this chapter. But I intend on following all rules set up by this site, and nothing will be over the site rating regulations. If you are under the age of 16 though, please read with caution. Also, my PM box is always open for questions if you have them.**

**And so, for the very last time, enjoy! 3**

***Katniss POV***

* * *

**(1 Month Later)**

"Ok, let's go." Peeta digs a pair of keys out of the top drawer of the bakery counter as I watch him silently.

"Are you sure we can leave this early?" I ask worriedly, breaking my silence. It's only seven, but the bakery's closing time is nine. We've already made all the cookies and breads needed for tomorrow morning, when Peeta says we will have a huge rush. I've already told Mom that I'm spending the night at the Mellark's house so we can open the bakery extra early.

"Yes, it's fine." Peeta says patiently, as if talking to a child. "I already told Dad that I plan on taking you on a Christmas Eve date."

We walk out of the bakery and into the cold, snowy December air. I shiver, not expecting the cold after spending the whole afternoon in the warm Mellark bakery. It took Peeta a couple weeks to regain enough strength to stand on his prosthetic all day, but once he could, he made good on his promise to hire me at the bakery. I've been working here for two weeks now with Peeta working alongside me. He's done his best to teach me, but I'm most interested in eating the leftover cookies at the end of the day.

I help Peeta lock the door with frigid, frozen fingers. Despite the cold weather, a spark runs through my body when my fingers graze Peeta's. I know Peeta felt it too, because he looks at me for half a second. The tingling continues down to my stomach, and suddenly, I don't feel very cold anymore.

Since the day Peeta came to my house to apologize after being released from the hospital, something has changed between the two of us. I can't put my finger on what exactly has changed, but I know Peeta senses it too. It's a definite shift in our relationship, and I'm not afraid anymore. All of my doubts and insecurities have vanished as I've grow into our relationship.

"You're quiet today." Peeta observes quietly as we quickly walk towards his car. I pull my scarf more tightly around my shoulders as a shiver runs through my body.

"Just thinking." I respond softly.

"Secretive much?" Peeta jokes lightly. But I know Peeta won't press the matter. He knows I'll talk to him when I'm ready.

I watch him carefully back the car out of the parking and straighten out. For several weeks after the accident, Peeta refused to drive anywhere. Even getting in the passenger seat was nerve-racking for him. He tells me that he spends some nights afraid to fall asleep due to the nightmares he has. There are never any visuals, but the sound of shattering glass and metal crunching is enough to remind of him of the crash.

When he first told me about his nightmares, I made him swear to always call me when he wakes up. I want to be there for him when he needs me. So, now I go to sleep with my phone on vibrate under my pillow. On bad nights, the buzzing of my phone can wake me up three or four times. I just stay on with Peeta until he calms down again, and I've fallen asleep several times with my phone still on.

"So, where are you taking me?" I ask curiously. We are cruising down a part of town unknown to me, but that doesn't mean much. Even though I've been living in New York for nearly six months, I still don't have the roads memorized. Peeta finally convinced me to get a driver's permit last week, and is trying to get Rye to teach me to drive. But, knowing Rye, he'll purposely try to get me to crash into a tree or something as a joke.

Peeta's blue eyes gleam in the darkness as he glances at me and replies, "Somewhere special."

"That's really helpful." I reply sarcastically as I roll my eyes at him. Peeta just shakes his head and smiles at me as he merges onto the highway.

Ten minutes later, we are in the heart of New York City. I know this because of the huge shopping centers and people milling around. The city is strewn with twinkling lights and huge blow-up figurines of Santa, his reindeer, and even snowmen. It's already dark out, but it seems like every person who lives in New York is squashed into the Rockefeller Center.

Peeta parks at the first available parking we see. "It's nearly a mile of walking, are you ok with that?" He asks me anxiously.

"It's fine." I soothe him. "Is it fine for you?"

Peeta rolls his eyes. "I'm fine, Katniss. Don't worry."

I have on my thickest coat and a pair of leggings under my jeans. Despite all this, I'm still shivering, and I can barely feel my nose. Peeta wraps an arm around my waist as we begin walking towards the famous Rockefeller Center.

I've never seen so many people in one place. Christmas carols fill the air, and some heavily bundled up people are singing along. Peeta hums along with a song, and then begins singing along.

"_Rudolph the red nosed reindeer, had a very shiny nose, and if you ever saw it, you would even say it glowed…"_

I giggle at his failed attempt to sing. Peeta glares at me, but I can see amusement hiding in his features.

"Don't judge." Peeta mutters under his breath. "Not everyone can sing."

"What can I say?" I sigh dramatically. "I didn't date you for your voice."

An old couple glares at Peeta and me, no doubt annoyed by our public flirting. Peeta grabs me on the spot and presses his lips to mine. The couple quickly walk past us with scandalous looks, and I can feel Peeta laughing against my mouth.

"Peeta!" I complain weakly. "Let go of me!"

I try to get out of Peeta's arms, but he's just too strong. Peeta holds me to his chest for a moment longer, enjoying my struggling, before he lets me go.

I glare haughtily at him. "You make me look like weak." I roll my eyes at him.

Peeta smiles at me. "Katniss, you're the strongest person I know." He says sincerely. "I've never thought of you as weak."

"I could say the same about you." I reply. "You're a different kind of strong though. You are the kind of person who would do anything for the people you care about."

Peeta doesn't say anything, but I know he's pleased by my words. He takes my hand, and we continue our leisurely walk among the holiday celebrations.

Some people are just walking around, like Peeta and me. They are simply enjoying the festive holiday mood and marveling at all the holiday lights strung up around us. I smile as I look around, fully enjoying the lights and the bright mood. Kids are pressed up against the windows, ogling at all the Christmas toys, while their mothers try to drag them along. Peeta and I try to weave through the crowds, heading towards the center, where the Christmas tree is standing.

When Peeta spots a local coffee shop, he insists that we get some hot chocolate. I gratefully agree, and wrap my freezing hands around the warm cup of chocolate. Once we both have our hot chocolate in hand, Peeta and I walk back outside. I sip the delicious frothy drink and feel the excitement of the holiday mood bubble up inside me.

Within minutes, we are greeted by the sight of the huge ice skating rink. Little kids, parents, and friends glide along. The huge majority of the skaters are amateurs, and fall every couple of seconds. I feel Peeta stiffen beside me.

"I almost forgot this was here." He says softly. He pauses before continuing. "When Rye, Prim, and I were still kids, we'd come here every year. Rye and I would always fall, but Prim would just glide along."

I smile, imagining the sight of a young Prim skating around Rye and Peeta, who sit despairingly on the ice. But when I see Peeta's stony expression, the smile drops off my face.

"What's wrong?" I ask softly, rubbing his back gently. "Peeta?"

"It's nothing." Peeta sighs heavily as his hands clench at his side. "Let's go see the Christmas tree, ok?"

"No." I say firmly as I put my hands on his shoulders. "Not until you tell me what's wrong."

"It's just… stupid." Peeta mutters in a low voice. Then he seems the expression on my face, and sighs in defeat. "Fine. I was thinking about how we could've gone skating together if it weren't for my leg."

I knew it was something along the lines of that. "Peeta." I say firmly. "I don't even want to go skating."

"It's just frustrating." Peeta sighs. "I almost manage to forget, and then there are little things I can't do that suddenly remind me. Just like now with the skating, or yesterday when I was watching a football game."

I wrap my arms around him, trying to tell him what I can't with words. For a moment, he just leans into me, and I stroke his curly blonde hair gently. He rests his head on my shoulder, and I press up against him. He plays with my hair gently, and I let him twist the strands around his fingers.

"Thank you." Peeta whispers into my shoulder. "Thank you, Katniss."

"I'm here for you." I whisper, letting my guard down. I gently disentangle his hands from my hair and entwine my hand into his as I wait for him to say something.

"Let's go have some dinner." Peeta says in a matter-of-fact tone, as he tries to cover up the weakness he was experiencing a moment ago. He rearranges his features into a casual expression, but I know he's still thinking about his leg. I know without a doubt that today will be a bad night, and I will spend most of the night on the phone with Peeta.

"Ok." I say, not wanting to put him on the spot any further. "What do you feel like having?"

"Something warm." Peeta smiles at me, and leads me into the nearest restaurant. The immediate warmth goes right down to my bones, and I smile in pleasure. Peeta and I go and sit at a table with two chairs and we scan through the menu.

Sitting there, with Peeta across from me, I suddenly realize what's changed in our relationship. More than ever before, I've fallen in love with Peeta. It's not a crush or puppy love anymore. It's about taking care of each other, and working as a team. It's about protecting each other. Because, really, that's what we do best.

I suddenly feel light-headed at my revelation. I love Peeta Mellark. Now that I've really loved someone, I can conclude that what I felt for Gale was never real. Peeta makes my heart bound, and his touch can drive me crazy. Giving my virginity to Gale had been a beautiful act, but I can't help but think what it would be like to give my whole self to Peeta. If his mere touch can send me into insanity, his whole body would most likely kill me of ecstasy. The thought strangely excites me.

Before Peeta came around, I was so emotionally "turned off." My life, for a whole year, had been about keeping myself and Gale alive. Now, Peeta comes along, and turns my world upside down. But there are so many things I can regret from the past year, but the one thing I can't regret is Peeta. He is the best thing that has ever happened to me. He gave me hope.

"Katniss?" Peeta's soft voice interrupts my thoughts. "Are you ready to order?"

I snap out of my musings, and see Peeta and a waitress looking at me expectantly. I blush and stammer pointlessly for a couple seconds. I have no idea what to get, because I haven't even looked at the menu. I've been far too busy thinking.

"I'll just have what Peeta's having." I tell the waiter quickly. Peeta smirks at me. He knows I've been distracted, and he will pester me endlessly until I tell him what I was thinking about.

"Katniss." Peeta looks at me nervously. "I have an early Christmas gift for you."

I smile at him. "You didn't have to get me anything." I tell him softly.

"Of course I had to get you something." Peeta brushes my concern off breezily. "But you don't have to take it if you don't want it."

I watch him carefully as he pulls something out of the pocket of his jeans. It's a small black box, very unassuming and simple. Peeta watches me carefully, his eyes focused on my face, as he slowly holds the small box out to me. Then he opens it, and I gasp.

"Katniss." Peeta begins. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. I love you, and I want to be there for you no matter what we are going through. You mean so much to me. Losing you would be like losing my world."

I nod, not trusting myself to speak. No doubt I will explode into waterworks if I try to speak.

"Katniss Everdeen, will you marry me someday?" Peeta holds the ring out to me. It matches perfectly with the necklace he gave me at our Homecoming night.

Peeta senses my hesitation, and hurriedly speaks. "This isn't really a wedding proposal. It's more like a promise that we will always be there for each other no matter what. We might not even get married for ten more years, but this is a promise that we will get married someday."

"Peeta." I stop his nervous rambling, because I can't leave any of this to chance. I can't risk him not understanding exactly how I feel. "I want to be your fiancée."

Peeta's face lights up like the sun. He shakily pulls the pearl ring out of the box and slips it onto my ring finger. It's a perfect fit, and it already feels like a part of me. I can't remember what it felt like to not have Peeta in my live.

I hold my hand up to the light, admiring the ring. It's simple, just the way I like it. Peeta knows that I would not like a big, stuffy ring with a bulky diamond on it. I marvel again at how Peeta always seems to know how I feel.

"Peeta, I need you in my life." I say softly. "Things just don't work without you with me."

"I love you, Katniss." Peeta reaches across the table and grabs my hand. He plays with the ring on my finger, and stares at me. For an indefinite amount of time, we just look at each other, enjoying the other's presence. It's just enough for him to be here.

A cough interrupts us. We break apart to see our poor waiter staring at Peeta and I like we've grown three heads and eight arms. "Sorry." Peeta mutters. He takes a plate for himself, and hands the other plate over to me.

"I have to leave him a big tip." Peeta mutters. "He probably thinks we are clinically insane."

I laugh. "That's debatable." I tease Peeta gently as I begin to eat. The hot soup feels good going down my chilled throat. I can't help but sigh in contentment as I begin to start on the sampler. I didn't want to miss anything, so I just got a plate that has a little bit of everything in it.

Everything is perfect, in this moment. I can't help but feel like the luckiest girl in the world.

And then a horrifying thought comes to me that makes me gag on my food. "Peeta!" I gasp.

Peeta looks up at me in surprise, which quickly changes into worry at my terrified expression. "Katniss? What's wrong?" He asks quickly, scanning my panic-stricken features.

"Peeta, how do I tell my mom about our engagement?" I ask in horror. I can already see her horrified face, and the thought fills me with dread.

Peeta looks at me thoughtfully. "I think it's best to let her find out." Peeta says thoughtfully. "Don't hide it from her, but don't tell her. She'll see the ring and ask you about it."

"I guess." I say musingly. "I don't want to make a big deal out of it, so that makes sense."

Peeta takes my hand. "This is what our whole promise is about." He tells me softly. "It's about helping each other, no matter how trivial the issue may be."

Peeta leaves a generous tip for the poor waiter we terrified. Peeta and I walk out into the cold night holding hands. I walked into this restaurant as Peeta's "girlfriend," and now I'm his fiancée. As terrifying as the thought is, I can't help but be exhilarated. I'm not scared of falling anymore. I had it all wrong. Love doesn't make you weak, it makes you stronger.

We end up in front of the huge Christmas tree. It's a beautiful sight. The tree is amazing. It's at least eighty feet tall, and every inch of the tree is lit with lights. I crane my head upwards, trying to see the top of the tree. I can just make out a huge star at the very tip of the giant tree.

"It's amazing." I say softly. "Peeta, this is the best day ever."

"As long as I'm with you, it's the best day." Peeta says sweetly. He leans in for a kiss. It starts slow and innocent, but for the first time, I feel a fire inside of me. Kissing him isn't enough, I want more now. My tongue explores the familiar feel of his mouth, and I moan. The hunger is getting bigger and bigger, and I can't control my emotions.

Peeta pulls me up so that I'm flush against his chest. My fingers claw at his hair desperately, and I only pull away when I start seeing stars from lack of oxygen.

"Peeta." I moan against his chest. His arms wrap securely around me, and I sink into his chest. My knees suddenly feel like jelly. "I want you." I whimper pathetically.

"You have no idea." Peeta says darkly, but then his expression turns serious. "Katniss, I want to save myself for you. I want us to do this right. But right now, I don't want to ruin our relationship."

"I want more." I whisper quietly. My cheeks are hot, but for once, my embarrassment isn't getting the best of me.

"I do too." Peeta whispers. "But I want us to do this right, in order. I have to marry you first."

"We're as good as married." I argue weakly. "We will do it right."

"Are you sure?" Peeta looks at me with a mixture of hesitation and elation. Peeta, always the gentleman, is leaving this choice up to me.

"Yes." I reply. I'm sure of my decision. "I want to give you all of me. I don't want any secrets between us."

We are at Peeta's house in half an hour. The house is quiet. Everyone is asleep, due to the late hour. I see a huge stack of wrapped boxes sitting under the Mellark's Christmas tree in the living room.

"Will your parents find out?" I ask Peeta in a hushed voice. Talking too loudly feels all wrong in the eerily quiet house. Normally, the Mellark house is alive with the smells of freshly cooked food and music, but now I could hear a pin drop.

"No. they won't. Don't worry." Peeta says as he flips some lights on. I feel relieved now that I can see where I am standing.

"I'm going to call my mom." I tell Peeta. "She might be worried about me."

I dial Mother's number. She answers on the second ring, which is a testament to how worried she is about me.

"Katniss, where are you?" She asks worriedly. "I've been worried since you didn't call!"

"Sorry, Mom." I say truthfully. I feel bad that I've worried her so much. "I'm going to bed right now, because we have an early morning at the bakery."

It's not a lie, technically. Peeta's family will need the help tomorrow morning because people will surge in early Christmas morning.

Mother hesitates. "I don't see why it's a problem… as long as you, you know, not share… a bed with Peeta."

I can't help but laugh. "Don't worry, Mom." I say soothingly. "I'll be fine."

"Ok." Mother sounds marginally relieved. "Good night."

"Good night, Mom." I say softly. "See you once I'm done at the bakery tomorrow."

I end the call just as Peeta comes back down to the kitchen. He's dressed in a pair of thick sweats, and has a bundle in his hand. He throws the bundle at me. "It's the smallest pair I have, because I don't think you'll fit into Prim's stuff."

I unroll the bundle, and see a pair of pants and a long-sleeved shirt. I know it's going to be huge on me just by looking at it.

"The bathroom is just down the hallway." Peeta gestures at an open door down the hallway. "I'll wait for you here."

"Thanks." I say with a smile. I head down the hallway, and lock the door behind me. I don't know why I'm nervous about undressing in front of Peeta. I just agreed to give myself to him, but I'm nervous about being naked in front of him. Then again, my brain isn't functioning logically at the moment

Sure enough, the shirt hangs off of my petite frame. I have to roll the sleeves up so they don't slip over my fingers. The pants drag on the ground. I stare at my frame, which looks like it's drowning in Peeta's clothes.

Peeta chuckles when he sees the clothes on me. "You look beautiful." He grins at me. "You should wear my clothes more often."

I take a seat beside him, and curl up with my knees resting on his leg and my head on his chest. I focus on breathing in sync with him, and relaxing.

"Do you want to watch a movie or something?" Peeta asks casually. "Or are you tired?"

"Actually, I'd rather go to bed." I say quickly. Peeta doesn't need further encouragement. He scoops me up in his arms and carries me down the hallway and up the staircase.

"No, stop." I protest. "Your leg."

"Katniss, I'm fine." Peeta murmurs. He seems to be telling the truth, because he is carrying me effortlessly. I relax in his arms and let myself sink in his arms. He carefully lowers me onto his bed and comes to sit beside me. I hear him shift around a little bit as he slips his prosthetic off and places it on the side table.

"We don't have to do this tonight." Peeta says to me, sensing my hesitation.

"Let's just see what happens." I murmur softly. I roll closer to him and kiss him softly. The hunger overtakes me again, and soon, his lips aren't enough for me. My arms run down his chest, my lips following moments later as I shower him with kisses.

"My turn." Peeta murmurs. I see that his eyes have darkened with desire, and that's the thing that finally takes me over the edge. I couldn't turn back now if I tried.

His fingers ghost over my chest. I've never felt so loved in my whole life. His fingers are so gentle, but I feel his love with every touch. I've never felt this way before, not even with Gale. Peeta's fingers are causing me to go insane. "Faster." I moan into his shoulder.

"No." Peeta argues. "We're doing this slowly."

We spend time memorizing every inch of each other. It's slow and melodic, and I'm settling into a rhythm. It's beautiful, and the love is visible in every movement.

Finally, it gets to a point where we both want so much more. It gets real, and it suddenly dawns on me what we are doing. The panic must show in my eyes, because Peeta draws away. "We can stop." He says, but I know just contemplating the idea of stopping is painful.

"No." I say confidently. "I've already made my choice, Peeta."

I relax in his arms as Peeta moves over me. My whole world is him in this moment. I can't see anything, or feel anything but him. All I can hear is our heavy breathing, perfectly in sync with each other. My world has been reduced to this one point. The amount of gentleness and love in every touch is astonishing. I never knew that anyone could ever make me feel this way- so loved, so amazingly wonderful.

"Are you sure?" Peeta asks again. He's hesitating, but I can't stop now. I'm way too far gone.

"Make love to me." I whisper. My brain is consumed by him, and I can't think of anything anymore but him.

Peeta doesn't need any further assurance. He sends me into a state of ecstasy unknown to me before now. I know nothing but his touch as he sends me into pure bliss. Wave after wave of love roll through my body, and I'm surprised I haven't exploded from pure joy yet.

We lay in exhaustion when it's all over. Peeta breathes heavily, and my head rests on his chest. His arms are wrapped around me, and I feel so safe in his arms. I feel like he can protect me from everything.

"Was I all you've dreamed of?" I ask Peeta softly after a long period of silence. It was perfection for me, but I need to know if it was perfect for Peeta as well.

"You're more than my best dreams." Peeta says simply. "Katniss, I love you more than I can ever say."

"As do I." I say softly. "You are everything I've ever wanted and more."

"Sleep now." Peeta murmurs into my hair. He sits up on an elbow and gropes around on the side table for his prosthetic, but I cling to his chest.

"Stay with me." I mumble feebly. I'm already half-asleep, and the words leave my mouth so quietly I'm afraid he didn't hear me.

But Peeta leans back down, and wraps his arms around me. I relax into his warm body, instantly feeling at home. Just before I drift off, I hear him murmur a single word into my ear.

"_Always."_

* * *

When I wake up early in the morning, I feel panicked. Peeta is gone, and his side of the bed is cold. I immediately sit up, ignoring the resulting head rush as I get off the bed.

I find Peeta a second later. He is leaning on the door, dressed in a thick jacket and jeans. He grins when he sees my panicked expression.

"Merry Christmas, beautiful!" He crosses the room easily and wraps me in his arms. "How did you sleep?" He murmurs softly in my ear.

"I slept wonderfully." I smile happily. Peeta didn't wake me once last night. Last night was the first night he's slept through the night since coming home from the hospital. "No nightmares?" I ask Peeta.

"No nightmares." Peeta confirms. His arms wrap around my lower back, and I arch myself so that our lips meet gently. There is none of the fire or passion of last night. It's more calming and sweet. The kind of kiss that says _I'll always be here for you._

"I woke up and you were gone." I say once we break apart. I suddenly realize how childish I sound. "I was worried."

"I woke up and left so my family wouldn't see us in bed together." Peeta says with an impish smile.

"Oh…" I say stupidly, a blush heating up my cheeks. "I'm sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry for." Peeta brushes off my concern. He hands me a pair of Prim's jeans and a thick jacket. "These are some clothes that are too big on Prim, so I think they'll fit you."

"Thanks." I say as I take the clothes from Peeta. I can't resist giving him a quick peck on the lips. "Merry Christmas." I say softly when I break away.

"I'll see you downstairs." Peeta says. He smiles before leaving and closing the door of his room behind him.

I decide to take a quick shower before changing. When I get out, I'm surprised to see my skin flushed and rosy, no doubt from last night. My lips curl into a small smile when I remember mine and Peeta's first time. It was pure bliss, and perfect in every sense of the word.

I quickly brush my hair and decide to keep it down. It looks nice, and it is Christmas, so I feel like I should try something out of the ordinary. My eyes unconsciously meet the sparkling ring on my finger as I run my hands through my hair. When I remember that Peeta is now my fiancé, I grin. It feels so good yet so strange to call him my betrothed.

I dab some of Prim's mascara and lip gloss on before leaving the bathroom. And because I'm feeling particularly nice today, I make Peeta's bed. After all, I did make half of that mess.

Peeta's family is already awake and gathered around the Christmas tree. Prim is excitedly opening presents and singing to Christmas carols. Mrs. Mellark is busy making breakfast, and Mr. Mellark is watching a football game. Rye is the first to notice me, and he comes to give me a huge, bone-crunching hug.

"About time, Sleeping Beauty!" Rye chides me. "We thought you were going to sleep through the present opening!"

"Stop it Rye." I mutter.

Rye puts a hand over his heart in mock hurt. "Ouch, Katniss." He sighs dramatically. "Someone doesn't like mornings, does she?"

"You're so dramatic, Rye." I roll my eyes at him.

"And what's Peeta?" Rye pouts. "Do you think he's perfect?"

"I know he's not." I say with a straight face. "But I love him anyways."

Rye conveniently chooses this moment to notice the ring on my finger. He gawks at me for a whole thirty seconds before speaking. "You're- he- what?" Rye looks, for once, at a loss for words.

"We're not married." I roll my eyes at Rye. "We're in a _very_ long engagement."

"Well, you're my sister now then!" Rye cheers. "Come here, sis!"

He hugs me again, and I smile. I really do like Rye. He's like a more comical version of Peeta, and he's fun to be around.

"Rye, are you stealing my fiancée?" Peeta comes up behind me and hugs me. "Come on, you need to open your presents!"

"Easy, little brother." Rye scolds Peeta. "So possessive." He adds in a mutter under his breath.

Peeta smacks Rye lightly before leading me away. He takes me over to a small stack of presents on the ground.

"These are yours." He declares. "Open them!" He looks so excited, his eyes shining like a child's, and I can't deny him the pleasure.

I sit down first and help him down. Once he's sitting beside me, I grab the first box. It's from Prim, and when I rip off the bright pink wrapping paper, I see a make-up kit. I quickly thank Prim, but I can't think of when I would use the make-up.

"Are these all for me?" I ask Peeta as I grab the next parcel.

"Of course they are." Peeta rolls his eyes. "And I have something else for you upstairs."

"You already got me enough." I say softly. "You didn't have to."

"I wanted to." Peeta rejoins. "Now open the rest of them."

I get a gift card from Mr. Mellark and Mrs. Mellark. I saw a pair of boots at the mall that I really saw, so I might go buy that with the card. There's even a bag from Rye underneath the tree, and when I get all the tissue paper out of the way, I see a stuffed snowman holding a joke book. _Typical Rye._

Once I've opened Rye's gift, Peeta all but drags me up the stairs and back into the room. He's grinning widely and his eyes shine with excitement. Whatever this gift is, Peeta is very excited to give it to me.

I stop at Prim's room for a quick second to grab the present I got for Peeta. I didn't want to put it under the tree, because I decided it would be nicer to give it to him personally.

When I enter Peeta's room, I see Peeta standing and holding a thick book with a green cover. He looks so excited that I get slightly confused. _Why is he so excited over a book?_

I set Peeta's gift on his bed and take the book from Peeta's arms. "What is it?" I ask Peeta curiously.

Peeta's bright blue eyes glint mischievously. "I'm not saying." He teases lightly.

I shake my head but relent by flipping the book open. The pages are thick and heavy, and I realize that this is no ordinary book. It's actually a sketchbook.

I gasp as I see the first picture. It's me, on the first day of school, as Peeta saw me. I marvel at how beautiful Peeta has made me look. In the corner of the picture, I can just see the blonde-haired, green-eyed figure of Glimmer.

It goes on like that for picture after picture. There are pictures of Peeta and me at Gale's cemetery, pictures of Peeta and me at Snow's office, and even a picture of Homecoming. One of the very last pictures is of me surrounded by a hazy, silvery mist. I look at Peeta questioningly, wondering when this picture could've been.

"That's what you looked like to me the first time I woke up in the hospital." Peeta explains to me.

There are only two more pictures after that. The second to last is at my house, right after Peeta came to apologize to me. The last picture is of Peeta and me at the bakery, throwing flour at each other. We are both laughing, and the picture is so carefree that it brings a smile to my face.

"These are perfect." I tell Peeta softly. He has managed to perfectly capture my emotions in each portrait. I can't even imagine how long each picture must have taken him. "When did you do them?"

"In the hospital." Peeta shrugs. "I had a lot of free time."

"Thank you." I say thickly. My throat has closed up and tears are threatening to fall. "These are amazing."

"It's like a timeline of us." Peeta says hesitantly. "I'm going to keep drawing more and more pictures in there as we go along."

When I look at the pictures again, I see something else in them. Somehow, Peeta manages to express his love for me in each picture. I could stare at these pictures for hours and not get tired of them.

"You sketched out our love." I tell him simply. "Somehow, you managed to draw out exactly how I feel about you."

"I'm glad you liked them." Peeta says. He sounds almost nervous, which is amusing to me.

"I didn't like them." I state. I notice Peeta's disappointed expression, which he quickly manages to hide from me. "I _loved_ them." I finish with a grin.

Peeta's face breaks out into a wide, relieved smile. I grab his gift from the bed and hand it to him. "I got you something too."

Peeta quickly unwraps the gift, and I watch his face go from shocked to excited to happy. "These are amazing!" He exclaims as he examines the pencils and paints. "Where did you find these?"

"I looked for a long time." I reply enigmatically. I looked online for the perfect pencils and other drawing materials until I stumbled on the perfect kit last week. I actually had to put it on priority shipping to make sure it got here on time for Christmas.

Peeta drops the pencils on his bed and embraces me. "Thank you." He whispers as he strokes my hair.

I lean into his protective embrace, inhaling the faint smell of cinnamon on him. Everything is so calm and peaceful that I never want to leave his embrace. But we break apart and sit on the edge of his bed holding hands.

"Things won't always be perfect." Peeta says softly. "But no matter how bad things get, we will always have each other. I'll still have nightmares, and you'll have your bad days where all you can think of is Gale. But no matter how hard things get, I'm not leaving anywhere."

"Neither am I." I say firmly. "I was scared to let myself fall for you, Peeta. But I'm not scared anymore."

I gently trace soft patterns on his hand as he plays with my loose hair. Neither of us says anything, because there is no need for words. He knows exactly what I am feeling.

"Real or not real?" Peeta asks a couple minutes later. "You love me."

"Real." I reply without hesitation "I love you."

Like Peeta said earlier, things wouldn't always be perfect. In fact, most of the time, life will be far from perfect. But the one thing in this world that I can always count on is Peeta. He's the one who keeps me sane. He's my rock. And as long as he's with me, I'll be fine.

Peeta seems to be able to read my mind, because he says, "Let's not worry about the future. What will come will come."

"You're right," I respond, coming back to the present moment. His blue eyes are gentle, and the trademark Peeta smile dances on his lips. I look straight in his eyes, and my breath catches in my throat. I could stare at him for a lifetime and not get tired of it.

He leans in for a kiss, gently, but I'm not in the mood for a mellow kiss. My hands tangle in his blonde hair, and my chest is flush against his. And in that moment, with my lips on his and our tongues dancing in perfect synchronicity, I forget everything but the present moment. All that's real is Peeta's lips on mine, and I lose myself.

Just me and him, for a lifetime, no matter what will come our way.

**The End.**

* * *

**Just one more time, I have to thank you for your support! *Virtual hug to all my readers***

**Now… for my next story! :)**

* * *

_**-A Fighting Chance**__** (NOTE: This title is still up for debate, so if you have a better suggestion, let me know please!)**_

_**-Summary: Modern Day AU. Katniss doesn't realize she sent the wrong boy off to war without admitting her feelings until it's far too late. Will her soldier ever come home, or will they not even have a fighting chance?**_

**-I will be posting this story on Saturday, November 24, on both FanFiction and AO3. It will be rated M on AO3, but I will probably keep it at T for FanFiction. So, if you are interested, put me on Author Alert so you won't miss it. :)**

_Ok, guys thanks so much for everything! I love all my readers more than I ever thought possible before writing this story. :)_

_Reviews, please? I really want to hear from you on this last chapter, especially if you haven't reviewed yet. :)_


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